Health Strat (Kenya)

BackgroundRegistered veterinary technologists/technicians (RVTs) are experiencing high rates of burnout, alongside reports of feeling underutilised and underappreciated, raising concerns regarding retention. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a 5‐day professional skills and knowledge training programme on RVTs’ clinical communication confidence.MethodsElectronic surveys measured communication self‐confidence prior to the professional skills and knowledge training, immediately after training and 2 months post‐training. Open‐ended questions asked participants’ experience regarding the training programme. Communication self‐confidence scores were compared using Friedman's test or repeated‐measures ANOVA. Open‐ended questions were analysed using manifest content analysis.ResultsOut of 38 individuals enrolled, 29 (76.3%) completed all three surveys. Participants’ communication self‐confidence scores significantly increased by the 2‐month follow‐up survey compared to pre‐programme and post‐programme. Open‐ended questions found: (1) positive perceptions of the programme immediately after training, and (2) differences in participants’ perception of their job at 2 months post‐training, based on opportunity to implement training upon returning to work.LimitationsThis study may have been prone to selection bias and may not be representative of all RVTs.ConclusionDedicated professional skills and knowledge training can increase RVT communication self‐confidence. A plan for implementation after returning to practice is important. Further research is needed to examine the impact of engaging RVTs in professional skills and knowledge training on professional and clinical outcomes.

Abstract Developmentally aligned artificial intelligence (AI) emphasizes calibrating AI systems to the distinctive cognitive and neurodevelopmental constraints of children rather than importing assumptions. Biologically grounded "digital twin" models provide another example of this approach. Personalized deep neural network simulations of mathematics learning disability (MLD) indicate that elevated neural gain (hyperexcitability) slows learning while preserving the potential to reach typical accuracy given sufficient training, requiring approximately 2.7 times more training iterations. This model predicts that behavioral dose–response relationships should be conditional: additional instructional hours should matter most for learners at risk for MLD and for outcomes aligned to the practiced skills. These predictions were tested by combining evidence from (a) a reanalysis of an intensive mathematics intervention database ( k = 171 effect sizes, 24 studies), (b) meta-analytic criterion-validity evidence for mathematics curriculum-based measurement ( k = 330), and (c) randomized manipulation of intervention session frequency holding total minutes constant ( N = 101). In Dataset A, dosage–effect size correlations were significant for at-risk samples ( r = .38) but not mixed samples ( r = .05), and were strongest for at-risk samples with skill-aligned outcomes ( r = .52; r = .40 excluding one extreme outlier). Experimental evidence converged: higher session frequency improved a proximal computation measure but not distal standardized outcomes. Together, results support a developmentally aligned learning-rate account of MLD and illustrate how child-calibrated digital twins can generate precise, testable predictions for intervention science.

The extraction of plant essential nutrients from extraterrestrial regolith will be necessary to ensure the sustainability of lunar and martian agriculture. An essential instrument of these outposts will be bioregenerative life support systems (BLiSS) that attempt to fully recycle nutrients from organic wastes. While BLiSS may not be fully efficient and lead to a reduction in the quantity of some elements, it is necessary to explore if regolith can be used to fortify the composition of BLiSS effluent. Lunar (JSC-1A) and martian simulants (MGS-1) were reacted with a high-fidelity BLiSS effluent from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in a 24 h batch experiment and compared to reactions with an inorganic nutrient solution and water. Net sorption and dissolution of elements were determined by quantification of reacting solutions using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), with P demonstrating Langmuir and Zn and K demonstrating Freundlich sorption isotherms. The lunar simulant desorbed sizeable quantities of S, followed by Ca and Mg, while the martian simulant desorbed S, followed by Mg, Ca, and Na. Elemental bonding of C, N, P, and Ca was observed on the simulant solid phase with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after reaction with BLiSS solution. Minerals after experimentation were observed using scanning electron microscope-electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), revealing pitting in JSC-1A and covering of nanoparticles in MGS-1. There were marked differences between the reactions of the inorganic nutrient solution compared to BLiSS effluent, indicating the necessity to study high-fidelity solutions over single-element model systems. Overall, lunar and martian regoliths contain highly soluble components that may fortify BLiSS effluents with valuable metals and plant essential nutrients.

Abstract The twenty-first-century economy has created an increasing demand for STEM education to prepare students for STEM careers. An emerging example is selective STEM high schools – institutions primarily focused on recruiting high-achieving students interested in pursuing and persisting in STEM fields. While theories of identity development have helped explain how students identify with STEM and how institutional factors relate to this process, further analysis is needed to understand the different contexts within which students who identify with and persist in STEM operate. This study analyzes how twenty-eight students who applied to selective STEM high schools conceptualized and identified with STEM in their first year of postsecondary education in the United States. Interviews were conducted with students who attended selective STEM-focused high schools and those who did not attend or had discontinued attending such schools. Using a phenomenological approach, we examined how students’ self-reported high school experiences relate to their conceptualization and perceptions of interest, recognition, participation, and competence in what it means to be a STEM person. Findings suggest that selective STEM-focused high school experiences gave students a more nuanced understanding of STEM fields. However, students also shared perceptions of incongruence with their interests perceived as unrelated to STEM, continuous stress and mental overload, and antipathy toward mathematics.

Objective: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) frequently requests the formation of working groups (WGs) as a component of coordinating centers for large multisite studies. This study aims to offer insights into the importance of integrating community-engaged approaches in WGs to facilitate collaboration and capacity building in health equity research. Methods: Data from four different sources were analyzed to assess the organizational structure, performance, and effectiveness of nine WGs formed as part of the NIH-funded Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics–Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. These sources include administrative documents, feedback surveys of WG members, focus groups of WG members, and semi-structured interviews of WG chairs. Results: RADx-UP WGs were organized to promote health equity through the development of communities of practice. The vast majority of group members responding to a feedback survey agreed or strongly agreed that the RADx-UP WGs had achieved this objective. The WGs were successful by engaging chairs who fostered a culture of collaboration, engaging a diverse membership in the co-creation of knowledge, and investing in an infrastructure that combined accountability with flexibility. Discussion: These lessons learned from RADx-UP can help future WG initiatives to optimize their effectiveness and promote health equity in national, collaborative research projects.

Cognitive disabilities from brain injuries are a prevalent and serious public health issue resulting in ongoing challenges for millions of individuals with brain injury. The integration of assistive technology for cognition along the rehabilitation continuum provides individuals with brain injury the opportunity for autonomy and independence. We propose a novel application (app) toolbox (BEST Suite app with five tools, Notability and Inspiration Maps) that supports executive function skills and the self–regulation process that can be generalized across contexts. The app toolbox is an essential component of the rehabilitative process for individuals with brain injury due to its ease of portability and accessibility to rehab professionals, patients, and caretakers.