Leader Developers: Perspectives of Mentor Principals in an Administrator Preparation Program

Principal preparation programs use various components to develop candidates, including course work, core assessments, and field-based internships or practicums. The internship represents an exceptionally high leverage learning opportunity (Lochmiller, 2014). The success of the internship depends highly on the abilities of a mentor via informal instructional supervision. Mette (2020) explains that supervision has a potential transformational quality. This study explores mentorships in a university principal preparation program through the mentor’s perspective. We interviewed a sample of mentors nominated as effective by peer and program informants. We learned that mentors were deliberate in developing three specific skills -- metacognitive ability, developmental efficacy, and learning-oriented goal setting. Mentor principals described these three elements as paramount to master before becoming a principal. We discuss implications for principal preparation programs to use mentors as informal instructional supervisors and develop highly effective school principals

The oral microbiome and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Significant evidence supports an association between periodontal pathogenic bacteria and preterm birth and preeclampsia. The virulence properties assigned to specific oral pathogenic bacteria, for example, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Filifactor alocis, Campylobacter rectus, and others, render them as potential collaborators in adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Several pathways have been suggested for this association: 1) hematogenous spread (bacteremia) of periodontal pathogens; 2) hematogenous spread of multiple mediators of inflammation that are generated by the host and/or fetal immune response to pathogenic bacteria; and 3) the possibility of oral microbial pathogen transmission, with subsequent colonization, in the vaginal microbiome resulting from sexual practices. As periodontal disease is, for the most part, preventable, the medical and dental public health communities can address intervention strategies to control oral inflammatory disease, lessen the systemic inflammatory burden, and ultimately reduce the potential for adverse pregnancy outcomes. This article reviews the oral, vaginal, and placental microbiomes, considers their potential impact on preterm labor, and the future research needed to confirm or refute this relationship

Environmental Contexts of Vulnerable Populations: Implications for Nursing Practice, Research, and Education

Health disparities research has been identified as a priority by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Training nurse scholars in Vulnerable Populations (VP) research has been one strategy to address this issue. Involvement of university sponsored pre- and postdoctoral nurse fellows in groupdeveloped projects are coordinated to advance the science of VP. A group of pre- and postdoctoral nurse fellows report on research that illustrates environmentally-induced barriers to health care experienced by VP. Topics cover health disparities, VP research, and culturally appropriate approaches to enhance access and acceptability of quality health care. Five studies are presented that illustrate the interplay of biologic, social, economic, behavioral, environmental, and cultural influences in the health and healthcare of individuals, populations, and sub-groups. These studies have common factors as well as unique barriers requiring exploration for better understanding and culturally appropriate intervention. The studies drew upon the VP Conceptualization Framework (VPCF) to describe the unique barriers encountered. These barriers are of significant concern and have implications for nursing practice, research, and education. Key recommendations to address these barriers are provided

Out of Many, One: Collaborating is the Way to Accelerate COVID 19 Vaccine Development

The article titled "Out of Many, One: Collaborating is the Way to Accelerate COVID-19 Vaccine Development," authored by John Loike, Matthew Cobb, Patricia J. Williams, and Robert Pollack, emphasizes the importance of global collaboration in the rapid development of vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors argue that the traditional competitive approach to drug development, characterized by stringent intellectual property protections, is inadequate in the face of a global health crisis. They advocate for a temporary suspension of patents and intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines to facilitate open sharing of research data and technologies among pharmaceutical companies and research institutions. This collaboration is deemed essential to expedite the development, testing, and distribution of effective vaccines. The article highlights the need for coordinated efforts to overcome the challenges at each stage of vaccine development, from lab research to clinical trials, and underscores the potential economic benefits of such collaboration, which could ultimately save lives and restore global economic stability. By leveraging the collective knowledge and resources of the global scientific community, the authors believe that the process of developing and deploying a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine can be significantly accelerated

Emerging Regenerative Approaches for Periodontal Reconstruction: Practical Applications From the AAP Regeneration Workshop

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141131/1/cap0040.pd

Emerging Regenerative Approaches for Periodontal Reconstruction: A Consensus Report From the AAP Regeneration Workshop

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141512/1/jpers153.pd

The intrafamilial transmission of rheumatoid arthritis--I : Design of the study

A sampling of 49 family clusters consisting of a key person with arthritis, his spouse, a sibling and the sibling's spouse, 2 cousins and an unrelated individual have been interviewed 3 times with regard to their arthritis and a variety of social and psychological factors. The sample has been drawn in part from a national random sample and in part from an arthritis clinic. The two subsamples have been found sufficiently homogeneous for combination and some of the strengths and limitations of the design have been discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/32904/1/0000284.pd

The intrafamilial transmission of rheumatoid arthritis--II : An interview measure of rheumatoid arthritis

Our conclusion is that we have a very usable instrument in the 4-point RA measure, and that if our assumptions are correct, the associations to be presented in subsequent papers are just as true as if the respondents had been examined by a physician equipped with X-ray and laboratory facilities. In some senses this is an affirmation of the medical dictum that the history is by all odds the most important part of a medical evaluation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/32905/1/0000285.pd

GRB 081029: A Gamma-Ray Burst with a Multi-Component Afterglow

We present an analysis of the unusual optical light curve of the gamma-ray burst GRB 081029, a long-soft burst with a redshift of z = 3.8479. We combine X-ray and optical observations from the Swift X-Ray Telescope and the Swift UltraViolet/Optical Telescope with ground-based optical and infrared data obtained using the REM, ROTSE, and CTIO 1.3-m telescopes to construct a detailed data set extending from 86 s to approximately 100,000 s after the BAT trigger. Our data cover a wide energy range, from 10 keV to 0.77 eV (1.24 to 16,000 Angstrom). The X-ray afterglow shows a shallow initial decay followed by a rapid decay starting at about 18,000 s. The optical and infrared afterglow, however, shows an uncharacteristic rise at about 3000 s that does not correspond to any feature in the X-ray light curve. Our data are not consistent with synchrotron radiation from a jet interacting with an external medium, a two-component jet, or continuous energy injection from the central engine. We find that the optical light curves can be broadly explained by a collision between two ejecta shells within a two-component jet. A growing number of gamma-ray burst afterglows are consistent with complex jets, which suggests that some (or all) gamma-ray burst jets are complex and will require detailed modelling to fully understand them.Comment: ApJ, in press; 29 pages, 8 figure

A Multicenter Evaluation of Pediatric Emergency Department Injury Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND: Injuries, the leading cause of death in children 1-17 years old, are often preventable. Injury patterns are impacted by changes in the child\u27s environment, shifts in supervision, and caregiver stressors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence and proportion of injuries, mechanisms, and severity seen in Pediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional study from January 2019 through December 2020 examined visits to 40 PEDs for children \u3c 18 years old. Injury was defined by at least one International Classification of Disease-10th revision (ICD-10) code for bodily injury (S00-T78). The main study outcomes were total and proportion of PED injury-related visits compared to all visits in March through December 2020 and to the same months in 2019. Weekly injury visits as a percentage of total PED visits were calculated for all weeks between January 2019 and December 2020. RESULTS: The study included 741,418 PED visits for injuries pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Overall PED visits from all causes decreased 27.4% in March to December 2020 compared to the same time frame in 2019; however, the proportion of injury-related PED visits in 2020 increased by 37.7%. In 2020, injured children were younger (median age 6.31 years vs 7.31 in 2019), more commonly White (54% vs 50%, p \u3c 0.001), non-Hispanic (72% vs 69%, p \u3c 0.001) and had private insurance (35% vs 32%, p \u3c 0.001). Injury hospitalizations increased 2.2% (p \u3c 0.001) and deaths increased 0.03% (p \u3c 0.001) in 2020 compared to 2019. Mean injury severity score increased (2.2 to 2.4, p \u3c 0.001) between 2019 and 2020. Injuries declined for struck by/against (- 4.9%) and overexertion (- 1.2%) mechanisms. Injuries proportionally increased for pedal cycles (2.8%), cut/pierce (1.5%), motor vehicle occupant (0.9%), other transportation (0.6%), fire/burn (0.5%) and firearms (0.3%) compared to all injuries in 2020 versus 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of PED injury-related visits in March through December 2020 increased compared to the same months in 2019. Racial and payor differences were noted. Mechanisms of injury seen in the PED during 2020 changed compared to 2019, and this can inform injury prevention initiatives