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Daniel J Kahn,1 Jane L Hubbard,2 Stephen Dunn,3 Alex Hoyt1 1School of Nursing, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, USA; 2Metabolism & Nutrition Research, Massachusetts General Hospital Translational & Clinical Research Center, Boston, MA, USA; 3Medical Education, Fenway Community Health Center, Boston, MA, USACorrespondence: Daniel J Kahn, MGH Institute of Health Professions, 36 First Ave, Boston, MA, 02129, USA, Email dkahn@mghihp.eduPurpose: Diet/nutrition is the first-line non-pharmacological therapy in the treatment of diabetes. Diet/nutrition counseling is infrequently provided by primary care providers (PCPs), who have limited nutrition education in both medical and advanced practice provider curricula. This quality improvement project aimed to improve knowledge and attitude, and frequency of diet/nutrition counseling by PCPs among patients with uncontrolled diabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin A1c ≥ 8%), by providing an online continuing medical education (CME) program on diabetes diet/nutrition.Methods: At a community health center in New England, PCPs attended a live 50-minute online CME program that was developed internally, which taught PCPs current diet/nutrition guidelines and recommendations related to diabetes. Knowledge was assessed prior to and two weeks following the program, utilizing a 10-question tool, the Nutrition Management of Diabetes Assessment (NMDA). Similarly, attitude was evaluated using two subscales of the Nutrition in Patient Care Survey (NIPS): Nutrition in routine care and Physician efficacy. Chart audits of patients with uncontrolled diabetes were evaluated to assess PCPs documentation of diet/nutrition counseling four weeks prior to and six weeks following the CME program.Results: In September 2023, PCPs (n = 29) completed the CME program. There was an improvement in knowledge in the NMDA amongst PCPs (36% difference, p < 0.001). Attitude scores from two subscales of the NIPS were evaluated and both showed improvement, however only physician efficacy was significant (15% difference, p < 0.01). There was a positive difference in the trend of diet/nutrition counseling after the education program (p < 0.05).Conclusion: An online CME program improved diabetes diet/nutrition knowledge and attitude of PCPs and improved counseling practices for patients living with uncontrolled diabetes. The education program provided PCPs current standards of care guidelines/recommendations, which they can utilize when counseling patients with diabetes. PCPs would benefit from dedicated continuing education programs regarding diet/nutrition therapy for chronic illnesses.Keywords: diabetes, nutrition, medical education, nutrition education, primary care provider

Active learning pedagogical practices are more effective than instructor-centered teaching in building students' knowledge, skills, and understanding of engineering content and concepts. As such, a large-scale professional development (PD) program was created to move faculty toward the use of active learning. The project aimed to engage faculty in active learning best practices through workshops and communities of practice to shift their attitudes, beliefs, and practices toward active learning strategies. This paper examines how and to what extent participation in a large-scale PD program shifts faculty awareness of, attitudes towards, and use of active learning. As such, this paper offers a model and evaluation framework for a large-scale PD program, which can be adapted to PD programs in engineering and across other STEM disciplines. In total, 82 faculty members from seven engineering disciplines participated in the PD program, comprising workshops and communities of practice sessions. Multiple assessments were utilized or created to measure the extent of faculty change using Roger's diffusion of innovation model for individual change and Coburn's cultural change model for organizational change. Faculty awareness, beliefs, and classroom practice shifted from instructor-centered teaching toward student-centered active learning. Instructors progressed moderately well through Rogers' five stages of individual innovation change and fulfilled the three tenets of Coburn's organizational change model. There were only minor shifts in student achievement, particularly for smaller classes, possibly due to insufficient time for instructors to fully implement active learning practices. The PD program influenced the initiation of a sustainable community of new and continuing active learning practitioners in the College of Engineering.

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected higher education and higher education students around the world, but few studies of college students' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have been conducted in Latin America. This study describes the COVID-19-related experiences and perspectives of Peruvian college students. We surveyed 3,427 full-time college students (average age: 23 years) attending a multi-campus Peruvian university in fall 2020. Participants were recruited through the digital platform of the learning management system at their university, email, and social media. We asked participants how they were managing risks related to COVID-19; the continuity of social, educational, and work activities; and the psychological and economic impacts of the pandemic on their lives. Since March 2020, 73.0% of participants reported COVID-19-related symptoms, but only 33.9% were tested for COVID-19. During the national quarantine imposed by the Peruvian government (March 15-June 30, 2020), 64.3% of participants remained in their house. Furthermore, while 44.0% of participants were working in February 2020 (95% CI: [41.7%, 46.4%]), only 23.6% (95% CI: [21.7%, 25.7%]) were working immediately after the pandemic began (i.e., at the end of April 2020). Participants were more stressed about the health and educational implications of COVID-19 for Peruvian society and their families than about themselves. The public health, economic, and educational implications of COVID-19 on college students are continuing to unfold. This study informed Peruvian higher education institutions' continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the progressive return to postpandemic activities, as well as other future pandemics and other crises.

Introduction: Financial toxicity has negative implications for patient well-being and health outcomes. There is a gap in understanding financial toxicity for patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy (RT). Methods: A review of patients treated with palliative RT was conducted from January 2021 to December 2022. The FACIT-COST (COST) was measured (higher scores implying better financial well-being). Financial toxicity was graded according to previously suggested cutoffs: Grade 0 (score ≥26), Grade 1 (14-25), Grade 2 (1-13), and Grade 3 (0). FACIT-TS-G was used for treatment satisfaction, and EORTC QLQ-C30 was assessed for global health status and functional scales. Results: 53 patients were identified. Median COST was 25 (range 0-44), 49% had Grade 0 financial toxicity, 32% Grade 1, 15% Grade 2, and 4% Grade 3. Overall, cancer caused financial hardship among 45%. Higher COST was weakly associated with higher global health status/Quality of Life (QoL), physical functioning, role functioning, and cognitive functioning; moderately associated with higher social functioning; and strongly associated with improved emotional functioning. Higher income or Medicare or private coverage (rather than Medicaid) was associated with less financial toxicity, whereas an underrepresented minority background or a non-English language preference was associated with greater financial toxicity. A multivariate model found that higher area income (HR .80, P = .007) and higher cognitive functioning (HR .96, P = .01) were significantly associated with financial toxicity. Conclusions: Financial toxicity was seen in approximately half of patients receiving palliative RT. The highest risk groups were those with lower income and lower cognitive functioning. This study supports the measurement of financial toxicity by clinicians.

Reach Out and Read (ROR) program is an evidence-based method for incorporating literacy education into pediatric visits and teaching parents the importance of reading aloud, starting at the 6 month well child visit 1​ Studies of the effect of encouraging reading during the birth hospitalization on shared reading behaviors are limited​.

Translational research requires data at multiple scales of biological organization. Advancements in sequencing and multi-omics technologies have increased the availability of these data, but researchers face significant integration challenges. Knowledge graphs (KGs) are used to model complex phenomena, and methods exist to construct them automatically. However, tackling complex biomedical integration problems requires flexibility in the way knowledge is modeled. Moreover, existing KG construction methods provide robust tooling at the cost of fixed or limited choices among knowledge representation models. PheKnowLator (Phenotype Knowledge Translator) is a semantic ecosystem for automating the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) construction of ontologically grounded KGs with fully customizable knowledge representation. The ecosystem includes KG construction resources (e.g., data preparation APIs), analysis tools (e.g., SPARQL endpoint resources and abstraction algorithms), and benchmarks (e.g., prebuilt KGs). We evaluated the ecosystem by systematically comparing it to existing open-source KG construction methods and by analyzing its computational performance when used to construct 12 different large-scale KGs. With flexible knowledge representation, PheKnowLator enables fully customizable KGs without compromising performance or usability.

Background: Scabies infections of the breast in lactating individuals are not well described, especially how maternal infection can impact human milk feeding of hospitalized infants in the intensive care setting. Methods: This case report presents a critically ill female infant with a complex surgical history whose mother had an active scabies infection around the breast postpartum and wished to provide expressed human milk. Results: In this case report, human milk was recommended despite maternal scabies infection. Conclusion: Given the limited information that is known about the risk of scabies transmission in human milk for critically ill infants, this case adds to the knowledge base and supports the call for further research.

Wetland methane (CH4) emissions over the Boreal-Arctic region are vulnerable to climate change and linked to climate feedbacks, yet understanding of their long-term dynamics remains uncertain. Here, we upscaled and analysed two decades (2002-2021) of Boreal-Arctic wetland CH4 emissions, representing an unprecedented compilation of eddy covariance and chamber observations. We found a robust increasing trend of CH4 emissions (+8.9%) with strong inter-annual variability. The majority of emission increases occurred in early summer (June and July) and were mainly driven by warming (52.3%) and ecosystem productivity (40.7%). Moreover, a 2 °C temperature anomaly in 2016 led to the highest recorded annual CH4 emissions (22.3 Tg CH4 yr-1) over this region, driven primarily by high emissions over Western Siberian lowlands. However, current-generation models from the Global Carbon Project failed to capture the emission magnitude and trend, and may bias the estimates in future wetland CH4 emission driven by amplified Boreal-Arctic warming and greening.

BackgroundPrior research suggests that physicians' personal experience with breastfeeding may influence their attitudes toward breastfeeding. This phenomenon has not been explored in well-newborn care physician leaders, whose administrative responsibilities often include drafting and approval of hospital breastfeeding and formula supplementation policies.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study, surveying physicians in the Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns (BORN) network. We examined physician attitudes toward recommending breastfeeding and their breastfeeding experience. Qualitative analysis was conducted on responses to the question: "How do you think your breastfeeding experience influences your clinical practice?"ResultsOf 71 participants, most (92%) had a very positive attitude toward breastfeeding with 75% of respondents reporting personal experience with breastfeeding. Of these, 68% had a very positive experience, 25% had a somewhat positive experience, and 6% had a neutral experience. Four themes emerged with respect to the effect of breastfeeding experience on practice: (1) empathy with breastfeeding struggles, (2) increased knowledge and skills, (3) passion for breastfeeding benefits, and (4) application of personal experience in lieu of evidence-based medicine, particularly among those who struggled with breastfeeding.ConclusionsWell-newborn care physician leaders reported positive attitudes about breastfeeding, increased support toward breastfeeding persons, and a perception of improved clinical lactation skills. Those who struggled with breastfeeding reported increased comfort with recommending formula supplementation to their own patients. Medical education about evidence-based breastfeeding support practices and provision of lactation support to physicians has the potential to affect public health through improved care for the patients they serve.

Introduction: The prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM) treated with standard-of-care maximal surgical resection and concurrent adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ)/radiotherapy remains very poor (less than 15 months). GBMs have been found to contain a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that contribute to tumor propagation, maintenance, and treatment resistance. The highly invasive nature of high-grade gliomas and their inherent resistance to therapy lead to very high rates of recurrence. For these reasons, not all patients with similar diagnoses respond to the same chemotherapy, schedule, or dose. Administration of ineffective anticancer therapy is not only costly but more importantly burdens the patient with unnecessary toxicity and selects for the development of resistant cancer cell clones. We have developed a drug response assay (ChemoID) that identifies the most effective chemotherapy against CSCs and bulk of tumor cells from of a panel of potential treatments, offering great promise for individualized cancer management. Providing the treating physician with drug response information on a panel of approved drugs will aid in personalized therapy selections of the most effective chemotherapy for individual patients, thereby improving outcomes. A prospective study was conducted evaluating the use of the ChemoID drug response assay in GBM patients treated with standard of care. Methods: Forty-one GBM patients (mean age 54 years, 59% male), all eligible for a surgical biopsy, were enrolled in an Institutional Review Board–approved protocol, and fresh tissue samples were collected for drug sensitivity testing. Patients were all treated with standard-of-care TMZ plus radiation with or without maximal surgery, depending on the status of the disease. Patients were prospectively monitored for tumor response, time to recurrence, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Odds ratio (OR) associations of 12-month recurrence, PFS, and OS outcomes were estimated for CSC, bulk tumor, and combined assay responses for the standard-of-care TMZ treatment; sensitivities/specificities, areas under the curve (AUCs), and risk reclassification components were examined. Results: Median follow-up was 8 months (range 3-49 months). For every 5% increase in in vitro CSC cell kill by TMZ, 12-month patient response (nonrecurrence of cancer) increased two-fold, OR = 2.2 (P = .016). Similar but somewhat less supported associations with the bulk tumor test were seen, OR = 2.75 (P = .07) for each 5% bulk tumor cell kill by TMZ. Combining CSC and bulk tumor assay results in a single model yielded a statistically supported CSC association, OR = 2.36 (P = .036), but a much attenuated remaining bulk tumor association, OR = 1.46 (P = .472). AUCs and [sensitivity/specificity] at optimal outpoints (>40% CSC cell kill and >55% bulk tumor cell kill) were AUC = 0.989 [sensitivity = 100/specificity = 97], 0.972 [100/89], and 0.989 [100/97] for the CSC only, bulk tumor only, and combined models, respectively. Risk categorization of patients was improved by 11% when using the CSC test in conjunction with the bulk test (risk reclassification nonevent net reclassification improvement [NRI] and overall NRI = 0.111, P = .030). Median recurrence time was 20 months for patients with a positive (>40% cell kill) CSC test versus only 3 months for those with a negative CSC test, whereas median recurrence time was 13 months versus 4 months for patients with a positive (>55% cell kill) bulk test versus negative. Similar favorable results for the CSC test were observed for PFS and OS outcomes. Panel results across 14 potential other treatments indicated that 34/41 (83%) potentially more optimal alternative therapies may have been chosen using CSC results, whereas 27/41 (66%) alternative therapies may have been chosen using bulk tumor results. Conclusions: The ChemoID CSC drug response assay has the potential to increase the accuracy of bulk tumor assays to help guide individualized chemotherapy choices. GBM cancer recurrence may occur quickly if the CSC test has a low in vitro cell kill rate even if the bulk tumor test cell kill rate is high.

IntroductionWe assessed awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation among a sample of nulliparous pregnant individuals in the United States, identified variables associated with awareness of these benefits, and examined whether awareness of these benefits impacts breastfeeding attitudes or intentions.MethodsWe administered a web-based survey to nulliparous U.S.-born individuals carrying a singleton gestation of at least 28 weeks. We assessed awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation using 10 items to create a summative score. We examined variation in awareness of these benefits by demographic characteristics, health insurance, and personal or family health history and used multivariable models to estimate associations between awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation and breastfeeding intentions.ResultsOf the 675 individuals invited to complete surveys, 451 (67%) responded. Only 50% were aware that breastfeeding lowers maternal risk of breast cancer; fewer were aware that breastfeeding lowers the risk of ovarian cancer (35%), diabetes (27%), and hypertension and heart disease (26%). Awareness of the maternal benefits of lactation did not vary by age or race/ethnicity. However, significant regional variation was noted. In multivariable models, scores of awareness of the maternal health benefits of breastfeeding were significantly associated with intentions to breastfeed for at least 12 months (adjusted odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.11, 1.37).ConclusionsEfforts to increase awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation are still needed. Increasing awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation may strengthen intentions to breastfeed as recommended.

The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) is a widely used resource that comprehensively organizes and defines the phenotypic features of human disease, enabling computational inference and supporting genomic and phenotypic analyses through semantic similarity and machine learning algorithms. The HPO has widespread applications in clinical diagnostics and translational research, including genomic diagnostics, gene-disease discovery, and cohort analytics. In recent years, groups around the world have developed translations of the HPO from English to other languages, and the HPO browser has been internationalized, allowing users to view HPO term labels and in many cases synonyms and definitions in ten languages in addition to English. Since our last report, a total of 2239 new HPO terms and 49235 new HPO annotations were developed, many in collaboration with external groups in the fields of psychiatry, arthrogryposis, immunology and cardiology. The Medical Action Ontology (MAxO) is a new effort to model treatments and other measures taken for clinical management. Finally, the HPO consortium is contributing to efforts to integrate the HPO and the GA4GH Phenopacket Schema into electronic health records (EHRs) with the goal of more standardized and computable integration of rare disease data in EHRs.

Angiosarcoma (AS) of the breast is a rare malignancy arising from the vascular endothelium. It can develop as a primary tumor or as a secondary tumor, the latter of which is most commonly associated with prior radiation therapy. AS may present in the breast as a palpable mass, unilateral diffuse breast enlargement, skin thickening, erythema, plaque-like violaceous discoloration, or painful nodules. The imaging features of AS vary across imaging modalities. Because AS of the breast is aggressive and prone to early metastasis, prompt detection is crucial to the improvement of generally low five-year survival rates. In this paper, we share one case of AS of the breast and one of a common mimic, hemangioma, with associated imaging and key clinical details that can aid radiologists in the timely identification and diagnosis of AS of the breast.

The process of patients waiting for diagnostic examinations after an abnormal screening mammogram is inefficient and anxiety-inducing. Artificial intelligence (AI)-aided interpretation of screening mammography could reduce the number of recalls after screening. We proposed a same-day diagnostic workup to alleviate patient anxiety by employing an AI-aided interpretation to reduce unnecessary diagnostic testing after an abnormal screening mammogram. However, the potential unintended consequences of introducing this workflow in a high-volume breast imaging center are unknown. Using discrete event simulation, we observed that implementing the AI-aided screening mammogram interpretation and same-day diagnostic workflow would reduce daily patient volume by 4%, increase the time a patient would be at the clinic by 24%, and increase waiting times by 13-31%. We discuss how changing the hours of operation and introducing new imaging equipment and personnel may alleviate these negative impacts.

Escalating wildfire frequency and severity, exacerbated by shifting climate patterns, pose significant ecological and economic challenges. Prescribed burns, a common forest management tool, aim to mitigate wildfire risks and protect biodiversity. Nevertheless, understanding the impact of prescribed burns on soil and microbial communities in temperate mixed forests, considering temporal dynamics and slash fuel types, remains crucial. Our study, conducted at the University of Tennessee Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center in Oak Ridge, TN, employed controlled burns across various treatments, and the findings indicate that low-intensity prescribed burns have none or minimal short-term effects on soil parameters but may alter soil nutrient concentrations, as evidenced by significant changes in porewater acetate, formate, and nitrate concentrations. These burns also induce shifts in microbial community structure and diversity, with Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria increasing significantly post-fire, possibly aiding soil recovery. In contrast, Verrucomicrobia showed a notable decrease over time, and other specific microbial taxa correlated with soil pH, porewater nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate concentrations. Our research contributes to understanding the intricate relationships between prescribed fire, soil dynamics, and microbial responses in temperate mixed forests in the Southern Appalachian Region, which is valuable for informed land management practices in the face of evolving environmental challenges.

Tubular adenomas are rare, benign breast tumors primarily found in postmenarchal, premenopausal women. We report a case of tubular adenoma in a 56-year-old man with a history of alcoholic cirrhosis. The breast mass was incidentally discovered on computed tomography imaging performed as part of a patient liver transplant evaluation. Dedicated breast imaging and ultrasound-guided biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of tubular adenoma.

Objective: To assess the effects of prenatal counseling about the maternal health benefits of lactation on postpartum knowledge, breastfeeding intentions, and infant feeding behaviors. Materials and Methods: We conducted a randomized trial with 411 nulliparous U.S.-born women carrying a singleton gestation. Participants were recruited online; after completing a baseline survey that assessed breastfeeding knowledge and intentions, participants were randomized to receive a 10-minute virtual counseling session about the benefits of breastfeeding or attention-control counseling about smoke-free homes. We collected data on breastfeeding knowledge, intentions, and infant feeding behaviors through 12 months postpartum and conducted an intention-to-treat analysis. Results: On enrollment, awareness of the maternal health benefits of lactation was similarly low in both study groups. Postpartum, participants who received this prenatal counseling intervention had significantly greater awareness that breastfeeding decreases maternal risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (p

IntroductionAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and have been associated with poor developmental outcomes. We aimed to investigate the relationship between early ACE exposure, subsequent diagnosis of developmental delay, and receipt of developmental delay services by young children. In addition, we aimed to assess the impact of health-promoting behaviors such as breastfeeding and daily reading on these relationships.MethodsIn this cross-sectional analysis of nationally-representative data from the 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health, we examined the relationship between ACEs, prior breastfeeding, daily reading, and developmental delay diagnosis among 7837 children aged 3-5 years, using multivariate logistic regression to adjust for family, personal, and sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsWe found a dose-dependent relationship between ACEs and developmental delay diagnosis; compared to those without ACEs, developmental delay was more common among those with either one ACE (aOR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.17-3.52) or two or more ACEs (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI 1.25-4.37). Neither breastfeeding (exclusively breastfed for 6 months vs. never breastfed aOR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.33-1.46) nor daily reading (no reading versus daily reading aOR = 1.15, CI 0.57-2.33) were associated with incidence of developmental delay among study participants. There was no significant difference in receipt of services intended to meet developmental needs between children with and without ACEs.DiscussionChildren with very early ACE exposure are at increased risk for diagnosis of developmental delay. Early screening for ACEs and developmental delay may mitigate the early developmental manifestations of ACE exposure in vulnerable children.

ImportanceInherent complexities in the composition of microbiomes can often preclude investigations of microbe-associated diseases. Instead of single organisms being associated with disease, community characteristics may be more relevant. Longitudinal microbiome studies of the same individual bats as pathogens arrive and infect a population are the ideal experiment but remain logistically challenging; therefore, investigations like our approach that are able to correlate invasive pathogens to alterations within a microbiome may be the next best alternative. The results of this study potentially suggest that microbiome-host interactions may determine the likelihood of infection. However, the contrasting relationship between Pd and the bacterial microbiomes of Myotis lucifugus and Perimyotis subflavus indicate that we are just beginning to understand how the bat microbiome interacts with a fungal invader such as Pd.

Background: Undergraduate STEM instructors want to help students learn and retain knowledge for their future courses and careers. One promising evidence-based technique that is thought to increase long-term memory is spaced retrieval practice, or repeated testing over time. The beneficial effect of spacing has repeatedly been demonstrated in the laboratory as well as in undergraduate mathematics courses, but its generalizability across diverse STEM courses is unknown. We investigated the effect of spaced retrieval practice in nine introductory STEM courses. Retrieval practice opportunities were embedded in bi-weekly quizzes, either massed on a single quiz or spaced over multiple quizzes. Student performance on practice opportunities and a criterial test at the end of each course were examined as a function of massed or spaced practice. We also conducted a single-paper meta-analysis on criterial test scores to assess the generalizability of the effectiveness of spaced retrieval practice across introductory STEM courses. Results: Significant positive effects of spacing on the criterial test were found in only two courses (Calculus I for Engineers and Chemistry for Health Professionals), although small positive effect sizes were observed in two other courses (General Chemistry and Diversity of Life). Meta-analyses revealed a significant spacing effect when all courses were included, but not when calculus was excluded. The generalizability of the spacing effect across STEM courses therefore remains unclear. Conclusions: Although we could not clearly determine the generalizability of the benefits of spacing in STEM courses, our findings indicate that spaced retrieval practice could be a low-cost method of improving student performance in at least some STEM courses. More work is needed to determine when, how, and for whom spaced retrieval practice is most beneficial. The effect of spacing in classroom settings may depend on some design features such as the nature of retrieval practice activities (multiple-choice versus short answer) and/or feedback settings, as well as student actions (e.g., whether they look at feedback or study outside of practice opportunities). The evidence is promising, and further pragmatic research is encouraged.

Approximately 30% of students who enter the postsecondary education system do so through 2-year colleges. The majority of these students intend to earn a bachelor's degree, but most leave college before earning a diploma from a 4-year institution. The discrepancy between bachelor's degree aspirations and degree attainment rates of students who enter through 2-year colleges suggests that vertical transfer students--those who transfer from 2- to 4-year colleges--face unique obstacles to academic performance and retention that affect their likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree. Similar barriers exist for economically disadvantaged students, who may be more likely to enter the postsecondary education system through 2-year colleges. This scoping review synthesizes the literature on factors influencing economically disadvantaged vertical transfer students' academic performance in the first year posttransfer and retention between the first and second year posttransfer. Implications for 2- and 4-year institutions and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Organic carbon (OC) association with soil minerals stabilizes OC on timescales reflecting the strength of mineral-C interactions. We applied ramped thermal oxidation to subsoil B horizons with different mineral-C associations to separate OC according to increasing temperature of oxidation, i.e. thermal activation energy. Generally, OC released at lower temperatures was richer in bioavailable forms like polysaccharides, while OC released at higher temperatures was more aromatic. Organic carbon associated with pedogenic oxides was released at lower temperatures and had a narrow range of 14C content. By contrast, N-rich compounds were released at higher temperatures from samples with 2 : 1 clays and short-range ordered (SRO) amorphous minerals. Temperatures of release overlapped for SRO minerals and crystalline oxides, although the mean age of OC released was older for the SRO. In soils with more mixed mineralogy, the added presence of older OC released at temperatures greater than 450°C from clays resulted in a broader distribution of OC ages within the sample, especially for soils rich in 2 : 1 layer expandable clays such as smectite. While pedogenic setting affects mineral stability and absolute OC age, mineralogy controls the structure of OC age distribution within a sample, which may provide insight into model structures and OC dynamics under changing conditions. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue Radiocarbon in the Anthropocene.

Over the past few decades, fungal pathogens have been implicated in wildlife population declines, posing a substantial challenge to the conservation of many species, including herpetofauna (1). In reptiles, most [...]