The Teacher-Student Data Link Project: Three Lasting Accomplishments

In 2010, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invited five states and three pilot districts in each state to participate in the Teacher-Student Data Link (TSDL) project. Mathematica developed a report presenting findings from 2011, the project's first year of implementation. Building on that report, this brief articulates three lasting accomplishments of the TSDL project: (1) Building implementation support for states and districts; (2) Continuing collaboration among states; and (3) Creating new TSDL-inspired activities. The brief also presents additional resources regarding the activities of the pilot states and districts, best practices for initiatives like TSDL that intend to bolster linked teacher-student data, and a support network for education agencies involved in similar work

Pilot evaluation of a brief training video aimed at reducing mental health stigma amongst emergency first responders (the ENHANcE II study)

Background First responders (i.e. police and ambulance staff) have increasingly become part of the mental health care system, often being the first port of call for those experiencing a crisis. Despite their frequent involvement in supporting those with mental health problems, there is evidence that mental health stigma is high amongst first responders. Aims The aim of the present study was to evaluate a brief training video aimed at reducing mental health stigma amongst first responders. Methods First responders watched a training video based on the cognitive behavioural model of mental health stigma, and involved contributions from people with lived experience, and first responders. Measures of mental health stigma were collected before and after viewing the training. Results The training video produced small but significant improvements in mental health stigma, and these effects did not differ between police and ambulance staff. We were unable to determine what psychological constructs mediated this change in stigma. The feedback on the training video was generally positive, but also indicated some key areas for future development. Conclusions The present study provides encouraging evidence that levels of mental health stigma can be improved using a resource-light training intervention.</p

Health Literacy in Community Pharmacy

48% of English-speaking patients are unable to obtain, process, understand, and utilize health information, and 30-50% of patients do not correctly adhere to their medications. The combination of chronic disease, poor heath literacy, and poor medication adherence lead to increased health costs and hospitalizatio

Ocean and coastal acidification off New England and Nova Scotia

Author Posting. © The Oceanography Society, 2015. This article is posted here by permission of The Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 28, no. 2 (2015): 182-197, doi:10.5670/oceanog.2015.41.New England coastal and adjacent Nova Scotia shelf waters have a reduced buffering capacity because of significant freshwater input, making the region’s waters potentially more vulnerable to coastal acidification. Nutrient loading and heavy precipitation events further acidify the region’s poorly buffered coastal waters. Despite the apparent vulnerability of these waters, and fisheries’ and mariculture’s significant dependence on calcifying species, the community lacks the ability to confidently predict how the region’s ecosystems will respond to continued ocean and coastal acidification. Here, we discuss ocean and coastal acidification processes specific to New England coastal and Nova Scotia shelf waters and review current understanding of the biological consequences most relevant to the region. We also identify key research and monitoring needs to be addressed and highlight existing capacities that should be leveraged to advance a regional understanding of ocean and coastal acidification.This project was supported in part by an appointment to the Internship/Research Participation Program at the Office of Water, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the US Department of Energy and the EPA. JS acknowledges support from NASA grant from NNX14AL84G NASA-CCS

Pilot evaluation of a brief training video aimed at reducing mental health stigma amongst emergency first responders (the ENHANcE II study)

Background First responders (i.e. police and ambulance staff) have increasingly become part of the mental health care system, often being the first port of call for those experiencing a crisis. Despite their frequent involvement in supporting those with mental health problems, there is evidence that mental health stigma is high amongst first responders. Aims The aim of the present study was to evaluate a brief training video aimed at reducing mental health stigma amongst first responders. Methods First responders watched a training video based on the cognitive behavioural model of mental health stigma, and involved contributions from people with lived experience, and first responders. Measures of mental health stigma were collected before and after viewing the training. Results The training video produced small but significant improvements in mental health stigma, and these effects did not differ between police and ambulance staff. We were unable to determine what psychological constructs mediated this change in stigma. The feedback on the training video was generally positive, but also indicated some key areas for future development. Conclusions The present study provides encouraging evidence that levels of mental health stigma can be improved using a resource-light training intervention

The effect of a night shift nap on post-night shift performance, sleepiness, mood, and first recovery sleep: A randomized crossover trial

Objectives This study aimed to test the effect of a 30-minute nap versus a 2-hour nap opportunity taken during a simulated night shift on performance, fatigue, sleepiness, mood, and sleep at the end of shift and during post-night shift recovery. Methods We conducted a randomized crossover trial of three nap conditions (30-minute, 2-hour, and no-nap) during 12-hour simulated night shifts. We tested for differences in performance, fatigue, sleepiness, mood, and sleep during in-lab and at-home recovery. Performance was measured with the Brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B). Subjective ratings were assessed with single-item surveys. Results Twenty-eight individuals consented to participate [mean age 24.4 (standard deviation 7.2) years; 53.6% female; 85.7% Emergency Medical Services clinicians]. PVT-B false starts at the end of the 12-hour night shift (at 07:00 hours) and at the start of in-lab recovery (08:00 hours) were lower following the 2-hour nap versus other conditions (P0.05). Sleepiness, fatigue, and some mood states were lower at most hourly assessments during the in-lab recovery period following the 2-hour nap condition compared to the other conditions. Sleep during recovery did not differ by duration of night shift nap. Conclusions A 2-hour nap opportunity versus a 30-minute or no-nap opportunity is beneficial for performance, alertness, and mood post-night shift. No differences were detected in sleep during recovery

Role of human milk oligosaccharide metabolizing bacteria in the development of atopic dermatitis/eczema

Despite affecting up to 20% of infants in the United States, there is no cure for atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema. Atopy usually manifests during the first six months of an infant's life and is one predictor of later allergic health problems. A diet of human milk may offer protection against developing atopic dermatitis. One milk component, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), plays an important role as a prebiotic in establishing the infant gut microbiome and has immunomodulatory effects on the infant immune system. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available information about bacterial members of the intestinal microbiota capable of metabolizing HMOs, the bacterial genes or metabolic products present in the intestinal tract during early life, and the relationship of these genes and metabolic products to the development of AD/eczema in infants. We find that specific HMO metabolism gene sets and the metabolites produced by HMO metabolizing bacteria may enable the protective role of human milk against the development of atopy because of interactions with the immune system. We also identify areas for additional research to further elucidate the relationship between the human milk metabolizing bacteria and atopy. Detailed metagenomic studies of the infant gut microbiota and its associated metabolomes are essential for characterizing the potential impact of human milk-feeding on the development of atopic dermatitis

Futureproofing the healthcare workforce in Europe:understanding and addressing psychological distress and occupational outcomes

Healthcare systems across Europe face a workforce crisis characterised by staff shortages, high turnover, and psychological distress among healthcare workers (HCWs). To understand the true scope and extent of psychological distress and occupational outcomes among HCWs and key areas to target for actionable solutions to this, a comprehensive overview of the evidence is needed. In this Series paper, we have synthesised findings from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses to assess the prevalence of psychological distress among HCWs in Europe, examine associated risk and protective factors, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions targeting these. The Series paper shows that HCWs experience high levels of work-related psychological distress, particularly burnout. Organisational factors, such as staff shortages, high workloads, and poor leadership, are key contributors to HCWs psychological distress. Organisational-level, rather than individual-level, interventions showed greater promise in reducing psychological distress and improving occupational outcomes. Perhaps surprisingly, currently published reviews did not focus on diagnosable mental disorders, instead relying on self-report symptom-based measures, likely overestimating prevalence. Our findings show limited research available on psychological distress and occupational outcomes among non-clinical staff, HCWs from ethnic minorities, and countries outside Western Europe. We recommend long-term investment in fostering safe and supportive workplaces and implementing evidence based multi-level mental health initiatives that are co-produced with HCWs. We also advocate for high quality, longitudinal research and policies that prioritise protecting the mental health and occupational safety of HCWs in order to safeguard their wellbeing and futureproof healthcare system sustainability

Understanding and Predicting Population Response to Anthropogenic Disturbance: Current Approaches and Novel Opportunities

Effective conservation of biodiversity depends on the successful management of wildlife populations and their habitats. Successful management, in turn, depends on our ability to understand and accurately forecast how populations and communities respond to human‐induced changes in their environments. However, quantifying how these stressors impact population dynamics remains challenging. Another significant hurdle at this interface is determining which quantitative approach(es) are most appropriate given data types, constraints and the intended purpose. Here, we provide a cross‐taxa overview of key methodological approaches (e.g., matrix population models) and model elements (e.g., energetics) that are currently used to model the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife populations. Specifically, we discuss how these modelling approaches differ in their key assumptions, in their structure and complexity, in the questions they are best poised to address and in their data requirements. Our intention is to help overcome some of the methodological biases that might persist across taxonomic specialisations, identify new opportunities to address existing modelling challenges and improve scientific understanding of the direct and indirect impacts of anthropogenic disturbance. We guide users through the identification of appropriate model configurations for different management purposes, while also suggesting key priorities for model development and integration