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Higher education institutions continually increase the demands on college instructors. Yet, all too often, many college instructors have had little to no preparation for teaching in higher education. What is needed is a comprehensive and clear list of characteristics expected of effective college teachers, both in-person and online, comprised by those who are focused on studying the subject matter deeply. To assess the characteristics deemed essential for college instructors to possess, a nationwide, modified Delphi technique was employed, eliciting opinions from an established panel of experts. At the conclusion of a three-round Delphi study, 46 of the 55 original items submitted by the panelists reached consensus of agreement. The 46 items were then categorized to establish six overarching themes associated with effective college teaching. The categorized themes and characteristics determined in the study of effective college teachers should be used as a comprehensive and clear list to provide college faculty with expectations of effective teaching. Additional research is needed to convert the items found in this study into an effective college teaching instrument. Such an instrument should be validated for use across academia as a starting point for the development, training, and support of future and current college teachers.

While parents of students with disabilities (SWD) select schools according to various factors, schools also choose students through different sorting mechanisms. Thus, parents of SWD may need to employ different strategies to enroll their child in their preferred school. We employed an intersectional approach for studying school choice, integrating ethnographic interviews and descriptive GIS to answer the following questions: (a) What strategies do parents of SWD utilize to secure placement in the school of their choice? and (b) How is the engagement with such strategies shaped by their social and geographical locations? We found that parents engaged in five strategies: Accepting an IEP Team's school recommendations, securing placement through a sibling, testing into selective enrollments, changing IEP provisions, and engaging in due process. Moreover, these strategies were afforded and constrained by their intersecting social positions (i.e., race, class, and disability), their geographical locations, and the developmental school stage of their child (i.e., transitioning to kindergarten or high school).

A posttest-only control group experimental design compared novice Arduino programmers who developed their own programs (self-programming group, n = 17) with novice Arduino programmers who used ChatGPT 3.5 to write their programs (ChatGPT-programming group, n = 16) on the dependent variables of programming scores, interest in Arduino programming, Arduino programming self-efficacy, Arduino programming posttest scores, and types of programming errors. Students were undergraduates in an introductory agricultural systems technology course in Fall 2023. The results indicated no significant (p < 0.10) differences between groups for programming rubric scores (p = 0.50) or interest in Arduino programming (p = 0.50). There were significant differences for Arduino programming self-efficacy, (p = 0.03, Cohen's d = 0.75) and Arduino posttest scores, (p = 0.03, Cohen's d = 0.76); students in the self-programming group scored significantly higher on both measures. Analysis of students' errors indicated the ChatGPT group made significantly (p < 0.01) more program punctuation errors. These results indicated novice students writing their own programs developed greater Arduino programming self-efficacy and programming ability than novice students using ChatGPT. Nevertheless, ChatGPT may still play an important role in assisting novices to write microcontroller programs.

Vocational education practitioners must participate in professional development (PD) activities so they may implement contemporary teaching practices to support their students. Long-term, social types of activity are best because they benefit individuals and groups of practitioners and the training organisations for which they work. However, training provider managers often favour short and individual activities which are cheaper to resource. Not much has been previously known about the financial and time costs incurred by individual practitioners which may act as a deterrent for practitioners to continue in the sector. Our research addressed that gap for Western Australian VET practitioners by examining data collected from an online survey. The survey collected quantitative information from 30 volunteer WA VET practitioners about their activities in a twelve-month period. Using human capital theory underpinning data analysis, we show that at no stage of a VET practitioner's career was there a positive return on investment for the personally incurred cost of PD. We argue that acts as a deterrent to working as a VET practitioner which has ramifications for training provider operational efficiency, and the wider VET sector. There appears to be a misappropriation of pay scales based on applicable employment conditions which indicates sectoral underpayment.

Although there is increased interest in social and emotional competence and mental health in Croatia, there are currently limited measurement options available for early childhood settings. Thus, the SSIS SEL Brief Scales (SSIS SELb), an efficient measure of social and emotional learning competencies developed in the United States, was translated to Croatian and used by 49 early childhood educators to rate a sample of 685 children (average age 4.3 years) from several counties in Croatia. Regarding measurement invariance, the final model cohered substantially with a CASEL-inspired framework. Overall reliability was also high especially for the SEL Composite ([alpha] = 0.94), with notably lower reliability for subscales. Regarding cross-group concurrent validity, concurrent coefficients were largely similar across age and gender, but there were regional differences in validity. Likewise, validity correlations were in line with expectations, with moderate relationships observed between the SSIS SEL Composite and Child and Youth Resilience Measure scores. In sum, the high level of reliability provided a foundation for applied and research usage of the Croatian SSIS SELb, although further validation research will continue to be necessary before widescale implementation. Limitations to the study are discussed and also point to needed additional research before utilizing the Croatian translated SSIS SELb for applied decisions with young children.

The SSIS SEL Brief + Mental Health Scales (SSIS SELb+MHS) are multi-informant assessments developed in the United States to assess the social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and emotional behavior concerns (EBCs) of school-age youth. Although there are translations of the SEL items of the SSIS SELb+MHS available in other languages, a German translation has never been completed and validated, despite the growing need for SEL and mental health assessment in German-speaking countries. To address this need, this study's primary purpose was the examination of a German translation of the assessment with a specific focus on measurement invariance and concurrent validity invariance testing with 821 3rd through 6th-grade students in Austria and Germany. Results indicated that the SELb+MHS items clustered into 2 SEL factors and 2 EBC factors. With regard to measurement invariance, the SELb+MHS functioned similarly across both Austria and Germany and full scalar invariance was achieved. Additionally, the overall pattern of concurrent validity relationships was as expected and similar across countries. Implications and future directions are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to: 1) examine existing interprofessional pain management curricula in a DPT and MOT program by mapping pain subject matter to the IASP interprofessional content to determine gaps, vertical and horizontal coherence and integration 2) evaluate pain knowledge and attitudes early and late curriculum within the current pre-licensure Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students, and 3) to define changes needed within the existing interprofessional pain management curricula to better prepare students for clinical experiences and professional practice. Pain content was mapped to the IASP core competencies to identify gaps in content and coherence. Students were evaluated on existing pain knowledge and attitudes using the City of Boston's Rehabilitation Professional's Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (COBS). Two hundred and forty physical and occupational therapy students completed the study. The mean percentage of correct responses of 70.6% +/-25.6% did not significantly change across didactic terms. Curricular mapping can inform planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of the curriculum and alignment with IASP guidelines.

The study aimed to assess the effects of year in college on students' perceptions of the cooperative learning process. Ninety-six college students completed 5 open-ended questions that asked students about their preferences for cooperative learning activities. Forty-nine first-year students and 47 second-year students participated in the study. A qualitative research design was used. Qualitative analyses compared---by year in college---the 5 open-ended questions. The principal investigator qualitatively analyzed the data for themes and subthemes, high-frequency responses, and percentage of response. Some findings were that first- and second-year students preferred the same types of group work and both groups had overlapping ideas on ways to make group work more enjoyable.

Research has shown that school leaders' engagement in teacher induction is vital for establishing supportive school structures and conditions that are conducive to successful socialization and long-term sustenance of newly qualified teachers (NQTs). In Malta, the problem of teacher recruitment and a growing attrition rate is becoming very acute. This article describes findings from an exploratory qualitative study that examined the perceptions of five heads of schools regarding their engagement in the induction and mentoring programs that have been designed to support NQTs in Malta. The findings describe the ways through which the heads of school support NQTs and their advice for new heads of schools working with NQTs. The article offers a discussion of research results in relation to the extant literature and concludes with implications for practice and further research.

Cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure that is utilized in situations that require immediate access to a breathing pathway. This procedure may be performed by professionals in a variety of healthcare fields depending upon the specific emergency scenario, so the development of an interprofessional workshop is imperative for procedural confidence and skill development. Our team developed a training workshop with a specific focus on procedural skills, risks, benefits, and psychological ramifications associated with a cricothyrotomy procedure. Pre-workshop and post-workshop surveys were obtained for comparison of participant confidence. Overall, the organization and delivery of a cricothyrotomy training workshop significantly increased the overall participant confidence surrounding this procedure.

Campus support programs (CSPs) in higher education institutions seek to address the barriers encountered by students who experienced foster care or homelessness (SEFC/H). This mixed methods study of a CSP at Florida State University examined the SEFC/H's service use and students' perceptions of the CSP to better understand student experiences. Study participants included 54 CSP students who graduated between 2015 and 2020. They completed surveys at graduation and six months and one year post-graduation. Students reported service use and perceptions of the services' helpfulness. They described what they valued in the CSP and what the CSP could have done to better prepare them for life after graduation. Findings show a high level of service use and perceptions of helpfulness. Students reported valuing the support; resources; physical space; sense of belonging, community, family, and home; growth and motivation; and success because of their CSP involvement. Areas where students believed the CSP could better prepare them for life after graduation included finances, graduate school, career planning, life skills, and connections. Implications for CSP include assisting SEFC/H with (a) planning and life skills, (b) financial literacy and money, and (c) mentors and connections.

Sonography is a highly specialized diagnostic imaging profession facing significant workforce challenges due to increased service delivery demands and a shortage of clinical training opportunities. Developing sustainable solutions is crucial for workforce growth. Using examples from the Australian workforce and education context, this paper explores the current sonography training pathways available and the benefits and challenges of each, highlighting the importance of work-integrated learning (WIL) in facilitating the development of professional identity, clinical competence and the quality of sonographer education. Conclusions are drawn that WIL is integral to the future of the sonography profession to improve patient outcomes and address workforce shortages. However, effective implementation requires careful planning and consideration of many factors, including regulatory requirements, industry partnerships, student and supervisor/tutor support, and issues related to equitable access and participation in WIL. Key recommendations are provided to encourage ethical student learning, university-industry collaboration, effective resource allocation, and WIL-specific research.

This study highlighted the school collaboration and process involved in implementing Tier 1 reading instruction in a rural school in New Mexico and measured the efficacy of this model on student outcomes. Our participants included seven elementary grade teachers, two special educators, one principal, and 106 students in Grades K-6. Our process involved adding more reading time to the schedule, providing teachers with pacing guides and fidelity checklists to maintain teacher accountability with reading instruction, leading biweekly professional learning communities for teachers, and using individually administered curriculum-based measures to track student outcomes in reading. Our results depicted student growth in reading outcomes across elementary grades and a reduction in risk for reading difficulties from the beginning to the end of the school year, which in part could be attributed to our model of Tier 1 reading instruction.

Library staff developed a project to reclassify the Curriculum Materials Collection of a specialty library on the campus of a regional comprehensive university. Materials were reclassified from a custom classification system derived from those developed by Lois Belfield Watt in 1962 and Harlan Johnson in 1973, to the Dewey Decimal Classification. While the original system had the advantage of browsability for patrons who were familiar with it, its unusual nature made training patrons and staff challenging. The transition to Dewey is expected to ease training and use, enhance resource sharing, and allow student teachers to transfer their library skills to the schools they will be teaching in.

The development and acquisition of science process skills (SPS) in science education are closely linked to the development of 21st-century skills and improvements in academic performance. To help facilitate the development of SPS in learners, teachers should acquire and exhibit SPS. This study assesses the SPS acquired by final-year students in a college of education who are pursuing a bachelor's degree in education, using regression correlation to find relationships between their acquired SPS, entry qualifications and academic performance. A parametric achievement test was used to assess the SPS acquired by the student teachers and extant data were used to construct their entry qualifications and academic performance. The data for the study were collected from 236 student teachers in four science colleges affiliated with the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. The results indicated that SPS contributed more to better academic performance than did students' entry qualifications. However, the nature of assessment of academic performance was such that basic SPS was a better influencer of academic performance than integrated SPS. It is recommended that, aside from entry qualifications, SPS acquired by candidates aspiring to pursue science programmes in tertiary institutions should be considered for admissions, and academic assessment instruments should be improved to encourage acquisition and development of integrated SPS.

The global pandemic highlighted the need for diverse faculty development partners to ensure student and faculty learning was supported, particularly in intensive modes of educational delivery. Our paper presents an institutional case study of how educational technology, in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning and subject matter experts, served as untapped providers of faculty development. We detail the decision to shift to an intensive 7-week module system rather than our traditional 15-week semester in response to COVID-19. Although challenging for both faculty and students, this shift in educational delivery facilitated innovative approaches to faculty and student learning that are present on our campus today. This institutional case study highlights the role that capacity-building plays in capability development and professional learning for faculty and students alike to support effective teaching practice across diverse delivery modes.

Context: For many businesses, one of the key indicators in their management is the adaptation of Information Technology in their operations. In Kenya, there has been a phenomenal growth in access to mobile phones, by June 2023, over 66 million mobile phones were connected to various telecommunication operators of which 58.3% were smart phones constituting 67.1% of internet connections. There are many digital technologies which can be adapted to facilitate the processing, dissemination, and access of information. The modern world has become competitive due to the uptake of Information Technology as one of the main business management skill, with the availability of smart phones and many applications that are easily available and easy to use. One of the main beneficiaries of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) is the Jua Kali artisans who are a key player in the Kenyan economy. Entrepreneurial competencies help the growth of businesses along the dimension of innovation. Kenya intends to entrench the use of Information Technology for public service delivery, business, skills, and innovation. The Jua Kali sector cannot be ignored, it contributes more than 80% of the total employment in Kenya. Approach: This research was carried out in the Eastlands of Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected using a questionnaire, an interview and observation schedule. The study used an interview schedule to collect data from Jua Kali artisans carrying out their artisan businesses in the Eastlands of Nairobi and a questionnaire survey to collect data from a sample of identified Nairobi residents who had engaged an artisan to work for them six months prior to the research. Findings: The research established that most Jua Kali artisans acquired their skills in the Jua Kali sector by apprenticeship (86.3%) while a small percentage (12.7%) trained in Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions while a further one percent were trained by their former employers. Most of the artisans had attained the basic formal education qualifications i.e. primary education (27.9%) and secondary education (47.6%). The Chi-square (?²) test was used to test the relationship between use of the basic social media digital platforms in business management and the formal education attained by artisans owning artisan businesses. Conclusion: At 0.05 level of significance (a) the research established that there is a significant relationship between the adaptation of digital platforms in business management and the formal education attained by the artisans.

The switch to online learning required a creative solution to allow for the experiential learning outcomes of the program to be satisfied when access to physical spaces and equipment was restricted. This paper describes a collaborative process between technical and support staff as well as research and teaching faculty that led to the creation of meaningful experiential learning opportunities for over one thousand stakeholders. The implemented solutions included the development of hardware and software, the creation of documentation and training procedures for teaching assistants and designing a support system for the students. [Articles in this journal were presented at the University of Calgary Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching.]

Public school board members are charged with the responsibility and accountability to provide governance-level advocacy for equity and excellence in public education. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of school board members in three K--8 school districts in the midwestern part of the United States regarding the 50+ year Race-Based Academic Achievement Disparity (RBAAD) in public education. Virtual one-on-one interviews, a virtual focus group, and member checks were used to gather data. Utilizing servant and moral leadership as the theoretical frameworks, the findings revealed that school board members are empowered with governance-level authority and the responsibility to address the RBAAD phenomenon, school board members encounter obstacles that challenge their ability to mitigate the RBAAD phenomenon, and school board members contend that opportunities exist to promote mitigation of the RBAAD. Implications for future research and practice are addressed.

This study examined K-12 public school teachers' classroom technology integration practices during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency remote teaching began. Survey data were collected from 76 K-12 teachers in public schools in a Southcentral U.S. state. The data include teachers' general beliefs about technology, their self-efficacy about technology integration, the support they received, and how frequently they implemented various types of technology-integrated activities. General linear models predicted the factors affecting the frequency of implementing technology-integrated activities as a whole group and between K-6 and 7-12 grade levels. The models showed different prediction impacts between grade levels. A significant impact of self-efficacy and interaction was found between general beliefs and support on implementation frequency for K-6 but not for 7-12. Moderation analysis was performed to further examine the relationship between support and general beliefs on self-efficacy. A simple slope analysis showed positive effects of self-efficacy among teachers who had low-to-average levels of general beliefs on self-efficacy. These findings argue for the importance of support for early-grade teachers with lower levels of general beliefs about technology integration.

The First2 Network is an alliance of higher education institutions across the State of West Virginia striving to improve science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) education by supporting rural, first-generation, and underrepresented college students pursuing STEM majors. Over the summers of 2019 and 2020, the First2 Network delivered two-week summer research immersion experiences at various institutions throughout West Virginia, including our institutions. The 2019 program was delivered on-campus at four universities while the 2020 program was redesigned to be delivered virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, across nine sites. Before and after the immersion experience, students who participated in the program completed a variety of survey questionnaires for the assessment of their interests, expectations, identity, and belonging in STEM. We found that the in-person research experience in 2019 had better outcomes compared to the virtual experience, suggesting that students conducting research directly under their faculty supervisors in-person and on-site will have a more positive impact on their STEM education and career. However, participation in the virtual research format with structured group activities still resulted in an improvement in belonging and STEM identity, indicating that connecting with students remotely is still worthwhile when it is the most viable option. The student population in West Virginia/Appalachia region faces a number of academic barriers, so there is much to gain by finding new ways to reach as many students as possible with early career development programs. Our virtually delivered program using citizen science projects, group discussions, and team building activities may be a useful template for other STEM programs to search for new ways to connect with a broader population of students offsite.

The frequency of disruptions to the function of Palestine's education systems highlights the need for Palestinian educational institutions to implement online delivery of institutional services and course content in order to ensure reliable access for teachers and students. This qualitative case study explored the beliefs and perceptions of five teachers of English as a foreign language who worked at a Palestinian university that transitioned to online emergency remote teaching during the 16-month-long halt to face-to-face instruction forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data throughout the school closure period, and findings derived by thematic analysis showed that the teachers, including three with no experience teaching online, faced challenges but eventually adapted to the situation. The data revealed agreement and divergence among the teachers regarding the benefits and downsides of moving their courses online. An overarching theme of uncertainty emerged as a characteristic of the teachers' practices and work lives during the study period, with the shock transition to e-learning, labour intensive teaching conditions, inadequate e-learning infrastructures, and four types of classroom impacts identified as primary contributing factors. By the conclusion of the study, all teachers agreed that e-learning will play an increasingly important role in the future of education in Palestine, and four were willing to continue teaching online. By identifying associated benefits and challenges and highlighting influences that physical and cultural contexts can have on the transition to online education, this study contributes to the literature regarding the adoption of e-learning at universities in developing countries.

The current study investigated the hypothesis that implementing a mindfulness intervention could significantly alleviate anxiety caused by a deficit in reading comprehension, as well as improve trait mindfulness and efficacy. Students with reading difficulties enrolled in a corrective reading intervention program served as participants. All participants took pre-assessments to measure level of reading anxiety, efficacy, trait mindfulness, and reading comprehension. They were then randomly divided into two groups--experimental and control. The experimental group practiced a mindfulness meditation intervention adapted from Eline Snel's (2013) Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents). The control group participated in a control task, Reading the Room. Following treatment, pre- and post-treatment assessments were taken to measure any changes in level of reading anxiety, efficacy, and trait mindfulness. Results suggest that mindfulness meditation may have led to a decrease in reading anxiety.

A trained workforce is needed to protect operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS) within national critical infrastructure and critical industries. However, what knowledge, skills, and credentials are employers looking for in OT cybersecurity professionals? To best train the next generation of OT cybersecurity professionals, an understanding of current OT cybersecurity position requirements is needed. Thus, this work analyzes 100 OT cybersecurity positions to provide insights on key prerequisite requirements such as prior professional experience, education, industry certifications, security clearances, programming expertise, soft verbal and written communication skills, knowledge of OT frameworks, standards, and network communication protocols, and position travel. We found that OT cybersecurity roles are typically nonentry level, as experience was the most common requirement, and was required on 95% of analyzed positions. Possession of a bachelor's degree or higher was required for 82% of positions, while industry certifications such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP) were listed on 64% of positions. Knowledge of OT or IT frameworks and standards and strong communication skills were listed on 48% of positions, while programming expertise, possession of a United States security clearance, and knowledge of OT or IT networking protocols were required for 18%, 24%, and 27% of positions, respectively. A work travel requirement was listed on 29% of positions. Individuals seeking to enter the OT cybersecurity field, and educational programs focusing on training OT cybersecurity professionals should prioritize obtaining experience, education, and certification, possessing strong communication skills, and knowledge of relevant OT and IT industry standards and frameworks.

The theoretical model presented in this study explores the transformational potential of a digital Community of Practice (dCoP) within higher education, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. A dCoP serves as a virtual space for educators to exchange knowledge, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and construct meaning through discourse. Through the use of digital artifacts, a dCoP provides tangible exemplars for intersecting abstract concepts to real-world applications, thus strengthening educational experiences and outcomes. This study emphasizes the cognitive, social, and emotional skills developed through STEAM education, projecting future career growth for learners in these areas. Establishing a dCoP for teachers in higher education facilitates the transfer of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary skills to students, supporting STEAM learning and future career opportunities. Additionally, this study employs portraiture and autoethnography methodology for storytelling and cybernetic learning. The incorporation of a cybernetic mindset, presented through a theoretical Cybernetic Three-Realm Model, enriches a dCoP by addressing (1) a Canvas for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), (2) an Artist's Palette for Authentic Artifacts, and (3) The Paints of Modalities for Learning. This theoretical construct affords a tangible framework for fostering STEAM skills and nurturing leadership development for pervasive learning within higher education dCoPs.

STUDY DESIGN: Clinical case series. OBJECTIVE: To describe the cause, treatment and outcome of 6 cases of perioperative spinal cord injury (SCI) in high-risk adult deformity surgery. SETTING: Adult spinal deformity patients were enrolled in the multi-center Scoli-RISK-1 cohort study. METHODS: A total of 272 patients who underwent complex adult deformity surgery were enrolled in the prospective, multi-center Scoli-RISK-1 cohort study. Clinical follow up data were available up to a maximum of 2 years after index surgery. Cases of perioperative SCI were identified and an extensive case review was performed. RESULTS: Six individuals with SCI were identified from the Scoli-RISK-1 database (2.2%). Two cases occurred intraoperatively and four cases occurred postoperatively. The first case was an incomplete SCI due to a direct intraoperative insult and was treated postoperatively with Riluzole. The second SCI case was caused by a compression injury due to overcorrection of the deformity. Three cases of incomplete SCI occurred; one case of postoperative hematoma, one case of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and one case of adjacent segment disc herniation. All cases of post-operative incomplete SCI were managed with revision decompression and resulted in excellent clinical recovery. One case of incomplete SCI resulted from infection and PJK. The patients treatment was complicated by a delay in revision and the patient suffered persistent neurological deficits up to six weeks following the onset of SCI. CONCLUSION: Despite the low incidence in high-risk adult deformity surgeries, perioperative SCI can result in devastating consequences. Thus, appropriate postoperative care, follow up and timely management of SCI are essential.

The design and optimization of laser-Compton x-ray systems based on compact distributed charge accelerator structures can enable micron-scale imaging of disease and the concomitant production of beams of Very High Energy Electrons (VHEEs) capable of producing FLASH-relevant dose rates. The physics of laser-Compton x-ray scattering ensures that the scattered x-rays follow exactly the trajectory of the incident electrons, thus providing a route to image-guided, VHEE FLASH radiotherapy. The keys to a compact architecture capable of producing both laser-Compton x-rays and VHEEs are the use of X-band RF accelerator structures which have been demonstrated to operate with over 100 MeV/m acceleration gradients. The operation of these structures in a distributed charge mode in which each radiofrequency (RF) cycle of the drive RF pulse is filled with a low-charge, high-brightness electron bunch is enabled by the illumination of a high-brightness photogun with a train of UV laser pulses synchronized to the frequency of the underlying accelerator system. The UV pulse trains are created by a patented pulse synthesis approach which utilizes the RF clock of the accelerator to phase and amplitude modulate a narrow band continuous wave (CW) seed laser. In this way it is possible to produce up to 10 μA of average beam current from the accelerator. Such high current from a compact accelerator enables production of sufficient x-rays via laser-Compton scattering for clinical imaging and does so from a machine of "clinical" footprint. At the same time, the production of 1000 or greater individual micro-bunches per RF pulse enables > 10 nC of charge to be produced in a macrobunch of < 100 ns. The design, construction, and test of the 100-MeV class prototype system in Irvine, CA is also presented.

While regular physical activity is a cornerstone of health, wellness, and vitality, the impact of endurance exercise training on molecular signaling within and across tissues remains to be delineated. The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) was established to characterize molecular networks underlying the adaptive response to exercise. Here, we describe the endurance exercise training studies undertaken by the Preclinical Animal Sites Studies component of MoTrPAC, in which we sought to develop and implement a standardized endurance exercise protocol in a large cohort of rats. To this end, Adult (6-mo) and Aged (18-mo) female (n = 151) and male (n = 143) Fischer 344 rats were subjected to progressive treadmill training (5 d/wk, ∼70%-75% VO2max) for 1, 2, 4, or 8 wk; sedentary rats were studied as the control group. A total of 18 solid tissues, as well as blood, plasma, and feces, were collected to establish a publicly accessible biorepository and for extensive omics-based analyses by MoTrPAC. Treadmill training was highly effective, with robust improvements in skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity in as little as 1-2 wk and improvements in maximum run speed and maximal oxygen uptake by 4-8 wk. For body mass and composition, notable age- and sex-dependent responses were observed. This work in mature, treadmill-trained rats represents the most comprehensive and publicly accessible tissue biorepository, to date, and provides an unprecedented resource for studying temporal-, sex-, and age-specific responses to endurance exercise training in a preclinical rat model.

The phytocannabinoid cannabinol (CBN) has a potential mechanism of action as an alternative sleep aid but there is minimal evidence to support its effectiveness. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to assess the safety and effects of three formulations of a hemp-derived CBN sleep aid, TruCBN™ [25 mg (n = 206), 50 mg (n = 205), 100 mg (n = 203)], on sleep quality (PROMIS Sleep Disturbance 8A), relative to placebo (n = 204). The effectiveness and safety of these formulations relative to 4 mg of melatonin (n = 202) was assessed. Exploratory measures were stress (PROMIS Stress 4A), anxiety (Anxiety 4A), pain (PROMIS™ PEG), and well-being (WHO 5). All groups and the 4 mg melatonin group experienced significant improvement in sleep quality relative to the placebo group with no significant differences between any group and the melatonin group. Participants taking 100 mg showed a larger decrease in stress compared to the placebo group. There were no significant differences in anxiety, pain, well-being, or the frequency of side effects between any group and the placebo group. There was no significant difference in improvements in sleep quality between any of the treatment groups and the 4 mg melatonin group. Orally ingested CBN, at 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, is a safe and effective alternative for the improvement of sleep.