Jewish American Students: Looking Back to Move Forward

As Jewish students enter college campuses in large numbers, it is crucial that student affairs educators understand their history as a means of best serving this population and combating anti-Semitism. In realizing the dualistic nature of Judaism as a religion and ethnicity, this paper examines the history of anti-Semitism experienced by Jewish American both abroad and nationally, particularly in institutions of higher learning. Additionally, anti-Semitism and Jewish life on campuses today is discussed as a means of assessing institutional support

Feminist Self-Care for Higher Education Professionals

Physical fitness is historically rooted in the construction of masculinity, making gender inclusive fitness an important part of feminist identity development (Kane & Snyder, 1989). Developed in the 1970s and formalized in early 2000s, CrossFit is a growing fitness movement based on the idea that fitness is a multifaceted way of being and works best when lived in community. Feminist consciousness-raising groups and CrossFit groups have capitalized on the value of community to build engagement, encouragement, and solidarity. Noting that self-care is crucial in the work of student affairs professionals, this article will examine the CrossFit Movement using Downing and Roush’s (1985) feminist identity development theory and its intersection with feminist student affairs practice. The authors will share their reflections as CrossFit novices, discussing their unique self-care journeys elaborating on self-worth, intersectional identities, and the value of shared community. Utilizing both theoretical framework and personal perspectives, the article will conclude with a discussion of implications on and recommendations for the field

An oligotrophic deep-subsurface community dependent on syntrophy is dominated by sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrifiers

Subsurface lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystems (SLiMEs) under oligotrophic conditions are typically supported by H₂. Methanogens and sulfate reducers, and the respective energy processes, are thought to be the dominant players and have been the research foci. Recent investigations showed that, in some deep, fluid-filled fractures in the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa, methanogens contribute <5% of the total DNA and appear to produce sufficient CH₄ to support the rest of the diverse community. This paradoxical situation reflects our lack of knowledge about the in situ metabolic diversity and the overall ecological trophic structure of SLiMEs. Here, we show the active metabolic processes and interactions in one of these communities by combining metatranscriptomic assemblies, metaproteomic and stable isotopic data, and thermodynamic modeling. Dominating the active community are four autotrophic β-proteobacterial genera that are capable of oxidizing sulfur by denitrification, a process that was previously unnoticed in the deep subsurface. They co-occur with sulfate reducers, anaerobic methane oxidizers, and methanogens, which each comprise <5% of the total community. Syntrophic interactions between these microbial groups remove thermodynamic bottlenecks and enable diverse metabolic reactions to occur under the oligotrophic conditions that dominate in the subsurface. The dominance of sulfur oxidizers is explained by the availability of electron donors and acceptors to these microorganisms and the ability of sulfur-oxidizing denitrifiers to gain energy through concomitant S and H₂ oxidation. We demonstrate that SLiMEs support taxonomically and metabolically diverse microorganisms, which, through developing syntrophic partnerships, overcome thermodynamic barriers imposed by the environmental conditions in the deep subsurface

The infrared-dominated jet of 3C401

We present a Hubble Space Telescope image of the FRII radio galaxy 3C 401, obtained at 1.6 microns with the NICMOS camera in which we identify the infrared counterpart of the brightest region of the radio jet. The jet has a complex radio structure and brightens where bending occurs, most likely as a result of relativistic beaming. We analyze archival data in the radio, optical and X-ray bands and we derive its spectral energy distribution. Differently from all of the previously known optical extragalactic jets, the jet in 3C401 is not detected in the X-rays even in a long 48ksec X-ray Chandra exposure and the infrared emission dominates the overall SED. We propose that the dominant radiation mechanism of this jet is synchrotron. The low X-ray emission is then caused by two different effects: i) the lack of any strong external photon field and ii) the shape of the electron distribution. This affects the location of the synchrotron peak in the SED, resulting in a sharp cut-off at energies lower than the X-rays. Thus 3C401 shows a new type of jet which has intermediate spectral properties between those of FRI, which are dominated by synchrotron emission up to X-ray energies, and FRII/QSO, which show a strong high-energy emission due to inverse-Compton scattering of external photons. This might be a clue for the presence of a continuous ``sequence'' in the properties of large scale jets, in analogy with the ``blazar sequence'' already proposed for sub-pc scale jets.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ. A typo in the value of the radio to X-ray spectral index (sect. 5, paragraph 2, thanks to T. Cheung) and other minor corrections have been mad

Long-term safety of dexamethasone sodium phosphate encapsulated in autologous erythrocytes in pediatric patients with ataxia telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) encapsulated in autologous erythrocytes (EryDex) was developed as an alternative to standard glucocorticoids in an effort to eliminate chronic steroid toxicity while preserving efficacy. The primary objective of this report is to describe the safety of long-term use of EryDex in treatment of pediatric patients with ataxia telangiectasia. METHODS: This is a post-hoc analysis of patients treated with EryDex for a minimum of 24 months in two prospective clinical trials. Outcomes include adverse events, growth, hemoglobin and serum iron, glucose levels, HbA1c, CD4+ lymphocytes, and bone mineral density. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients completed a minimum of 2 years of treatment with EryDex (mean treatment length 39 ± 11 months). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE), reported in 67 (99%) out of 68 patients, were typically mild and did not cause discontinuation of treatment or death. Treatment-related TEAE were noted in 48 (71%) patients. Notable adverse events included transient pruritus reported in 23 (34%) patients and findings of low serum iron reported in 27 (40%) patients, while at baseline one fifth of patients had low serum iron. Anemia was reported in 9 (13%) patients. The mean hemoglobin level changed by -0.8 ± 1.0 g/dL after 6 months of therapy without subsequent decline. Longitudinal height and weight mean z-scores showed minimal change from baseline to month 24 for height (-0.06 ± 0.49), weight (-0.02 ± 0.71), and body mass index (0.03 ± 0.87). The mean bone mineral density (BMD) z-score showed a decline of 0.4 points over the 24 months of treatment. Values for glucose, HbA1c, cortisol, and CD4+ lymphocyte counts did not show clinically significant changes during prolonged treatment with EryDex. CONCLUSION: The most common treatment-related adverse events were transient infusion-related pruritus and iron deficiency. There was a decline in BMD which could not be distinguished from the natural course of disease. There were no adverse effects on height, weight and body mass index noted, as documented by stable z-scores throughout the 2 years of treatment. Adverse events typically observed with prolonged glucocorticoid use such as Cushingoid features, weight gain, hypertension, hirsutism, diabetes or stunted growth were rarely reported. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers: NCT02770807 and NCT03563053

Safety and efficacy of intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate in children with ataxia telangiectasia (ATTeST): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial

Background: Ataxia telangiectasia is a multisystem disorder with progressive neurodegeneration. Corticosteroids can improve neurological functioning in patients with the disorder but adrenal suppression and symptom recurrence on treatment discontinuation has limited their use, prompting the development of novel steroid delivery systems. The aim of the ATTeST study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-erythrocyte delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate compared with placebo in children with ataxia telangiectasia. Methods: This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial was done at 22 centres in 12 countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, Tunisia, the UK, and the USA). Eligible participants were children aged 6 years or older weighing more than 15 kg who met clinical criteria for ataxia telangiectasia but who had preserved autonomous gait. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to low-dose (approximately 5-10 mg), or high-dose (approximately 14-22 mg) intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate, or placebo, using an independent interactive web response system, with minimisation for sex and age (6-9 years vs ≥10 years). Intravenous intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate was administered once a month for 6 months. Participants, employees of the sponsor, investigators, all raters of efficacy endpoints, and central reviewers were masked to treatment assignment and dose allocations. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in the modified International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (mICARS) from baseline to month 6, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population, which included all randomly assigned participants who received at least one dose of study drug and had at least one post-baseline efficacy assessment. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02770807) and is complete. Findings: Between March 2, 2017, and May 13, 2021, 239 children were assessed for eligibility, of whom 176 were randomly assigned. One patient assigned to high-dose intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate did not initiate treatment. 175 patients received at least one dose of treatment (59 patients received the low dose and 57 received the high dose of intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate, and 59 received placebo). The mITT population comprised 164 participants (56 children in the low-dose group, 54 children in the high-dose group, and 54 in the placebo group). Compared with the placebo group, no differences were identified with regard to change in mICARS score from baseline to 6 months in the low-dose group (least squares mean difference -1·37 [95% CI -2·932 to 0·190]) or the high-dose group (-1·40 [-2·957 to 0·152]; p=0·0765). Adverse events were reported in 43 (73%) of 59 participants in the low-dose group, 47 (82%) of 57 participants in the high-dose group, and 43 (73%) of 59 participants in the placebo group. Serious adverse events were observed in six (10%) of 59 participants in the low-dose group, seven (12%) of 57 participants in the high-dose group, and seven (12%) of 59 participants in the placebo group. There were no reports of hyperglycaemia, hypertension, hirsutism, or Cushingoid appearance in any of the treatment groups, nor any treatment-related deaths. Interpretation: Although there were no safety concerns, the primary efficacy endpoint was not met, possibly related to delays in treatment reducing the number of participants who received treatment as outlined in the protocol, and potentially different treatment effects according to age. Studies of intra-erythrocyte delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate will continue in participants aged 6-9 years, on the basis of findings from subgroup analyses from this trial. Funding: EryDel and Quince Therapeutics

A Classification System for Teachers’ Motivational Behaviours Recommended in Self-Determination Theory Interventions

Teachers’ behaviour is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviours consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labelling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis. We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviours from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the experts’ input. Next, these experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behaviour to SDT, the psychological need that each behaviour influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviours, experts nominated overlapping behaviours that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviours that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviours (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of teacher motivational behaviours and consistent terminology in how those behaviours are labelled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviours to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviours moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed

A classification system for teachers’ motivational behaviors recommended in self-determination theory interventions.

Teachers’ behavior is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviors consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labeling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis.We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviors from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the Delphi panel’s input. Next, the panel of experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behavior to SDT, the psychological need that each behavior influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviors, experts nominated overlapping behaviors that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviors (TMBs) that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviors (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of TMBs and consistent terminology in how those behaviors are labeled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviors to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviors moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed

A classification system for teachers’ motivational behaviors recommended in self-determination theory interventions

Teachers’ behavior is a key factor that influences students’ motivation. Many theoretical models have tried to explain this influence, with one of the most thoroughly researched being self-determination theory (SDT). We used a Delphi method to create a classification of teacher behaviors consistent with SDT. This is useful because SDT-based interventions have been widely used to improve educational outcomes. However, these interventions contain many components. Reliably classifying and labeling those components is essential for implementation, reproducibility, and evidence synthesis. We used an international expert panel (N = 34) to develop this classification system. We started by identifying behaviors from existing literature, then refined labels, descriptions, and examples using the Delphi panel’s input. Next, the panel of experts iteratively rated the relevance of each behavior to SDT, the psychological need that each behavior influenced, and its likely effect on motivation. To create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of behaviors, experts nominated overlapping behaviors that were redundant, and suggested new ones missing from the classification. After three rounds, the expert panel agreed upon 57 teacher motivational behaviors (TMBs) that were consistent with SDT. For most behaviors (77%), experts reached consensus on both the most relevant psychological need and influence on motivation. Our classification system provides a comprehensive list of TMBs and consistent terminology in how those behaviors are labeled. Researchers and practitioners designing interventions could use these behaviors to design interventions, to reproduce interventions, to assess whether these behaviors moderate intervention effects, and could focus new research on areas where experts disagreed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved

A SNAP-Tagged Derivative of HIV-1—A Versatile Tool to Study Virus-Cell Interactions

Fluorescently labeled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) derivatives, combined with the use of advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques, allow the direct visualization of dynamic events and individual steps in the viral life cycle. HIV proteins tagged with fluorescent proteins (FPs) have been successfully used for live-cell imaging analyses of HIV-cell interactions. However, FPs display limitations with respect to their physicochemical properties, and their maturation kinetics. Furthermore, several independent FP-tagged constructs have to be cloned and characterized in order to obtain spectral variations suitable for multi-color imaging setups. In contrast, the so-called SNAP-tag represents a genetically encoded non-fluorescent tag which mediates specific covalent coupling to fluorescent substrate molecules in a self-labeling reaction. Fusion of the SNAP-tag to the protein of interest allows specific labeling of the fusion protein with a variety of synthetic dyes, thereby offering enhanced flexibility for fluorescence imaging approaches