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INTRODUCTION: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether workplace culture in academic oncology differed by gender, during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Culture Conducive to Womens Academic Success (CCWAS), a validated survey tool, to investigate the academic climate at an NCI-designated Cancer Center. We adapted the CCWAS to be applicable to people of all genders. The full membership of the Cancer Center was surveyed (total faculty = 429). The questions in each of 4 CCWAS domains (equal access to opportunities, work-life balance, freedom from gender bias, and leadership support) were scored using a 5-point Likert scale. Median score and interquartile ranges for each domain were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 168 respondents (men = 58, women = 106, n = 4 not disclosed) submitted survey responses. The response rate was 39% overall and 70% among women faculty. We found significant differences in perceptions of workplace culture by gender, both in responses to individual questions and in the overall score in the following domains: equal access to opportunities, work-life balance, and leader support, and in the total score for the CCWAS. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey is the first of its kind completed during the COVID-19 pandemic at an NCI-designated Cancer Center, in which myriad factors contributed to burnout and workplace challenges. These results point to specific issues that detract from the success of women pursuing careers in academic oncology. Identifying these issues can be used to design and implement solutions to improve workforce culture, mitigate gender bias, and retain faculty.

PYTA is demonstrated to rapidly and stably complex 225Ac, 177Lu, 111In, and 44Sc, a “superfecta” of complementary but chemically distinct radiometals for targeted theranostic applications.

Abstract Recent research indicates that rates of psychological distress are almost 1.5 times higher for adult Pacific peoples versus non-Pacific peoples1. Leveraging data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study and utilising cross-lagged regression modelling, we examined changes in psychological distress across time for adult Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand (n = 514). Our study found that experiences of psychological distress were associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing psychological distress in the future. Additionally, experiencing higher levels of social support was associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing psychological distress in the future. Our research is vital because psychological distress is a serious mental health issue, and research that signals protective factors towards psychological distress for our Pacific peoples can help in creating better mental health outcomes for our Pacific communities. Preview on terminology: We use the term Pacific peoples, which are inclusive of a group of people in Aotearoa New Zealand that have ethnic roots from many Pacific nations. Unless a research study specifically uses the term mental illness or mental disorder, the study uses the terms mental distress and mental health issues/concerns to broadly refer to diagnosis of a mental illness or any other challenges or experiences with mental health. The choice in terminology is to shift the focus away from a deficit model of health, to those that are more consistent with Pacific views of health and wellbeing1.

Abstract Biological studies of the determinants of Cryptosporidium infectivity are lacking despite the fact that cryptosporidiosis is a major public health problem. Recently, the 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) has received attention because of its high sequence polymorphism and association with host infectivity of isolates and protection against reinfection. However, studies of GP60 function have been hampered by its heavy O-linked glycosylation. Here, we used advanced genetic tools to investigate the processing, fate, and function of GP60. Endogenous gene tagging showed that the GP60 cleavage products, GP40 and GP15, are both highly expressed on the surface of sporozoites, merozoites and male gametes. During invasion, GP40 translocates to the apical end of the zoites and remains detectable at the parasite-host interface. Deletion of the signal peptide, GPI anchor, and GP15 sequences affects the membrane localization of GP40. Deletion of the GP60 gene significantly reduces parasite growth and severity of infection, and replacement of the GP60 gene with sequence from an avirulent isolate reduces the pathogenicity of a highly infective isolate. These results have revealed dynamic changes in GP60 expression during parasite development. They further suggest that GP60 is a key protein mediating host infectivity and pathogenicity.

Abstract Background Azithromycin has been shown to be beneficial in preventing infectious diseases, including malaria, infectious diarrhoea and pneumonia. A cluster randomised control trial on azithromycin MDA in children in Niger, Malawi and Tanzania found a reduction in all-cause under-five (U5) mortality in communities who received azithromycin compared to placebo. However, the reduction was largest and statistically significant only in Niger. The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the impact of azithromycin plus intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi), recently renamed by the World Health Organisation as perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC), with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) on all-cause mortality up to 18 months of age in children living in areas of high mortality burden through the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) in Sierra Leone. Methods The Improving Care through Azithromycin Research for Infants in Africa (ICARIA) trial is a phase III two-arm, individually randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial administering oral AZI (20 mg/kg bodyweight) at three time points to children attending EPI visits in Sierra Leone. A total of 20,560 infants attending the first EPI contact at around 6 weeks of age are recruited and randomised to AZI or placebo in a 1:1 ratio. The second and third AZI/placebo doses are given at 9 and 15 months of age. The primary outcome of the trial is all-cause mortality rate at 18 months of age assessed through mortality surveillance. Other trial outcomes include the impact on antimicrobial resistance, and on the immune response to certain key routine EPI immunisations, the safety of the intervention, the prevalence of SP resistance markers and the feasibility, and acceptability of adding AZI to the EPI programme. Discussion The trial will provide the evidence needed to inform policy regarding the adoption and large-scale implementation of AZI in areas of high-mortality burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04235816. Registered on 22 January 2020. Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR202004540256535. Registered on 14 April 2020.

Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs require authentic, quality field experiences for their preservice teachers. Faculty often seek alternative experiences to public-school placements due to limited space, class size, location, and overwhelmed local schools. One opportunity in the surrounding community of many universities is the homeschooled student population. Creating a homeschool physical education program can bring K-12 students to campus. This article highlights four PETE programs creating alternative, authentic teaching experiences through their university homeschool physical education programs. Each snapshot discusses hosting, logistics, marketing, and funding.

In educational research, there is the general trade-off that empirical evidence should be generalizable to be applicable across contexts; at the same time, empirical evidence should be as specific as possible to be localizable in subject-specific educational interventions to successfully transfer the empirical evidence to educational practice. This trade-off is further increased by the fact that the diverse instructional contexts, such as school or student characteristics constrain the applicability of empirical evidence. Several approaches have been proposed to address this issue, however, emphasized the different problems (i.e., localization, generalization, transferability) rather in an isolated manner. To this end, in this article, we introduce a synergistic approach, the LoGeT (localize, generalize, transfer) model, which systematically integrates co-design (localization strategies) and ManyClasses principles (generalization strategies) with co-constructive transfer activities, to generate empirical evidence that may be applicable in educational practice. To illustrate the LoGeT model, we present three long-term projects, covering different granularities and durations of educational interventions across different fields of education (teacher education, adaptive teaching, non-interactive teaching) that successfully applied the LoGeT approach. Finally, we outline further directions for future iterations of the LoGeT model. We hope that the LoGeT approach may be a stimulus to guide researchers as well as practitioners alike to design generalizable and evidence-based educational interventions that are rooted in localized instructional contexts.

Background: "21st century learning" is reliant on not only cognitive competencies such as problem-solving, but also interpersonal (e.g., collaboration) and intrapersonal (e.g., self-regulation) competencies. Building on research in K-12/undergraduate contexts, we investigated cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal learning tactics in a sample of working adults. Method: We conducted 75 interviews with adults in an online Master's in Computer Science (CS) program. We used thematic analysis to organize participants' learning tactics into five key strategies and interpreted strategy/tactic use in the context of a well-known 21st century learning framework. Findings: Interpersonal tactics were perceived as critical across domains, while the relative salience of intrapersonal and cognitive tactics differed depending on the nature of the task. This highlights: (1) critical differences between effective strategies for managing learning itself versus non-learning demands and (2) the value of "making space" for learning alongside other domains of adult life (e.g., work/family). Contributions: We differentiate between tactics employed to master course content (e.g., via educational technology) and those facilitating the development of a supportive learning environment (e.g., via regulation of resources across domains and over time), show utility of the 21st century learning framework for working adults in CS, and discuss issues of identity and learning management.

Background: Underemployment is a reality for many new graduates, who accept locum or part-time work as an alternative to unemployment because of lack of opportunities. We sought to analyze orthopedic surgeons' Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) billing data over a 2 0-year period as a proxy of practice patterns and hypothesized that billing in the first 6 years of practice would be affected by underemployment and locum. Methods: We analyzed the annual average billing totals of orthopedic surgeons, broken down by year of graduation, year of billings, and number of surgeons billing in that year. We analyzed public census data of the Ontario population size as a proxy of orthopedic demand. Results: A 2019 cross-sectional analysis showed that around 15 surgeons per graduating year were billing in Ontario from the 1995 to 2016 cohorts, while 2017 and 2018 saw an increase to 30 and 36 actively billing surgeons, respectively. The number returned to more historical numbers in 2019, with 20 actively billing surgeons. For those surgeons billing in Ontario, billing trends have been roughly stable, with average billings increasing each year for the first 6 years in practice (p < 0.001). Year of graduation did not have an effect on the first 6 years of billings (p > 0.5). Billings were stable after 6 years in practice (p > 0.09). Conclusion: The Ontario health care system has not expanded to support more orthopedic surgeons despite the aging and growing population; despite our growing population, the number of surgeons being trained and retained has not matched this growth. Further research needs to be done to guide optimal health human resource decision-making. Contexte: Le sous-emploi est une r alit pour bon nombre de personnes fra chement dipl m es, qui se tournent vers des postes de suppl ance ou temps partiel faute d'ouvertures. Nous avons voulu analyser les donn es de facturation au R gime d'assurance-maladie de l'Ontario (RAMO) en chirurgie orthop dique sur une p riode de 20 ans comme indicateur indirect des modes de pratique, et avanc l'hypoth se qu'au cours des 6 premi res ann es sur le terrain, la facturation subirait l'effet du sous-emploi et du statut de suppl ant. M thodes: Nous avons analys les facturations annuelles moyennes totales des sp cialistes en chirurgie orthop dique selon l'ann e d'obtention du dipl me, l'ann e de facturation, et le nombre de sp cialistes en chirurgie orthop dique ayant factur pour chacune de ces ann es-l . Nous avons analys les donn es du recensement pour la taille de la population de l'Ontario comme indicateur indirect de la demande en orthop die. R sultats: Selon une analyse transversale de 2019, environ 15 sp cialistes en chirurgie orthop dique par ann e d'obtention du dipl me ont factur en Ontario pour les cohortes de 1995 2016, tandis qu'en 2017 et 2018, ce nombre est pass 30 et 36, respectivement. Le nombre est revenu ce qu'il tait auparavant en 2019 et 2020. Pour les sp cialistes en chirurgie orthop dique qui facturent en Ontario, les tendances de facturation ont t relativement stables, avec une hausse annuelle des facturations moyennes pendant les 6 premi res ann es de pratique (p < 0,001). L'ann e d'obtention du dipl me n'a pas exerc d'effet sur les 6 premi res ann es de facturation (p > 0,5). Les facturations ont t stables apr s 6 ans de pratique (p > 0,09). Conclusion: Le syst me de sant ontarien n'a pas augment le nombre de postes en orthop die malgr l'augmentation et le vieillissement de la population; m me si notre population grandit, le nombre et la r tention des sp cialistes en chirurgie orthop dique n'ont pas suivi le rythme. Il faudra approfondir la recherche pour mieux orienter les d cisions relatives aux effectifs., Establishing a career after training is challenging and stressful for many new surgeons. Challenges may include seeking employment, relocating, and setting up a new practice. Underemployment is a reality for [...]

Abstract Aim Illicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogs are the primary drivers of opioid overdose deaths in the United States (U.S.). People who use drugs may be exposed to fentanyl or its analogs intentionally or unintentionally. This study sought to identify strategies used by rural people who use drugs to reduce harms associated with unintentional fentanyl exposure. Methods This analysis focused on 349 semi-structured qualitative interviews across 10 states and 58 rural counties in the U.S conducted between 2018 and 2020. Interview guides were collaboratively standardized across sites and included questions about drug use history (including drugs currently used, frequency of use, mode of administration) and questions specific to fentanyl. Deductive coding was used to code all data, then inductive coding of overdose and fentanyl codes was conducted by an interdisciplinary writing team. Results Participants described being concerned that fentanyl had saturated the drug market, in both stimulant and opioid supplies. Participants utilized strategies including: (1) avoiding drugs that were perceived to contain fentanyl, (2) buying drugs from trusted sources, (3) using fentanyl test strips, 4) using small doses and non-injection routes, (5) using with other people, (6) tasting, smelling, and looking at drugs before use, and (7) carrying and using naloxone. Most people who used drugs used a combination of these strategies as there was an overwhelming fear of fatal overdose. Conclusion People who use drugs living in rural areas of the U.S. are aware that fentanyl is in their drug supply and use several strategies to prevent associated harms, including fatal overdose. Increasing access to harm reduction tools (e.g., fentanyl test strips, naloxone) and services (e.g., community drug checking, syringe services programs, overdose prevention centers) should be prioritized to address the polysubstance-involved overdose crisis. These efforts should target persons who use opioids and other drugs that may contain fentanyl.

Abstract The BCG vaccine is given to millions of children globally but efficacy wanes over time and differences in the immune systems between infants and adults can influence vaccine efficacy. To this end, 34 rhesus macaques were vaccinated with BCG within seven days of birth and blood samples were collected over 88 weeks for quantification of blood cell populations. Overall, the composition of cell populations did not change significantly between BCG vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, and that BCG vaccination did not perturb normal development. In comparison to adult macaques, higher numbers of CD4+ T-cells, Tregs and NK cells were measured in the infant age group, suggesting a potential bias towards immunosuppressive and innate immune populations. Antigen-specific IFNγ secreting cell frequencies in infant BCG vaccinated animals were detectable in peripheral blood samples for 36 weeks after vaccination but declined following this. To evaluate the long-term impact of infant BCG vaccination on subsequent revaccination with BCG, a pilot study of three adult macaques received an aerosol BCG revaccination approximately 3 years after their initial BCG vaccination as infants. This induced an increase in PPD-specific IFNγ secreting cells, and increased secretion of the cytokines IFNγ and IL-1β, following stimulation with other microorganisms, which are signals associated with trained innate immunity.