Teacher-student relationships within the context of online teaching and learning: Challenges and opportunities of three populations

While online learning environments had already become common in various contexts prior to the year 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a rapid shift to remote learning around the world. This has led to new insights into the implications of teacher-student relationships within such learning environments, particularly with regard to students with unique needs, such as students of English as a second language, students with a specific learning disability, and students with autism spectrum disorder. This chapter examines the impact of teacher relationships with these three groups of students in online learning environments, the challenges within that context, and recommendations for teachers serving those student populations through a review of current literature on these topics. © 2023, IGI Global.

Leveraging Digital Technology to Support Pregnant and Early Parenting Women in Recovery from Addictive Substances: A Scoping Review.

Little is known about digital health interventions used to support treatment for pregnant and early parenting women (PEPW) with substance use disorders (SUD). METHODS: Guided by the Arksey and O'Malley's Scoping Review Framework, empirical studies were identified within the CINAHL, PsycInfo, PubMed, and ProQuest databases using subject headings and free-text keywords. Studies were selected based on a priori inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data extraction and descriptive analysis were performed. RESULTS: A total of 27 original studies and 30 articles were included. Varying study designs were used, including several feasibility and acceptability studies. However, efficacious findings on abstinence and other clinically important outcomes were reported in several studies. Most studies focused on digital interventions for pregnant women (89.7%), suggesting a dearth of research on how digital technologies may support early parenting women with SUD. No studies included PEPW family members or involved PEPW women in the intervention design. CONCLUSIONS: The science of digital interventions to support treatment for PEPW is in an early stage, but feasibility and efficacy results are promising. Future research should explore community-based participatory partnerships with PEPW to develop or tailor digital interventions and include family or external support systems to engage in the intervention alongside PEPW.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer - the Northern Irish Experience

Purpose: An analysis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy delivery and outcomes for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer prior to radical cystectomy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with a 5 year 5% overall survival benefit in selected patients [1]. Method(s): Using a central histopathology database, all patients in Northern Ireland with newly diagnosed muscle-invasive bladder cancer between January 2017 and December 2018 were identified. This time period was selected to reflect practice prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigation included MDM discussion rates, number of patients proceeding to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and survival outcomes for all patients. Result(s): 66 patients underwent a radical cystectomy during this time period. 65/66 were discussed at MDM. 39/66 (59%) were reviewed at an oncology clinic and 22/66 (33%) proceeded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Reasons for patients not proceeding with neoadjuvant chemotherapy included patient preference (76%), poor renal function (18%) and cardiac history (6%). 10/22 (45%) patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were down-staged at the time of cystectomy showing a complete pathological response. Being reviewed at an oncology clinic for discussion regarding neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly delay time to proceed to surgery if patients opted not to receive chemotherapy. 16/22 (73%) patients who received NAC are alive at the end of follow-up, compared with 25/44 (57%) who did not. There were no SACT-related deaths. Conclusion(s): Our local data show impressive outcomes for patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In line with NICE guidelines and published data, we propose that all eligible patients should meet with an oncologist to consider the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before proceeding to radical cystectomy. Reference [1] Vale C. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2003;361(9373):1927-34. Copyright © 2022 The Royal College of Radiologists

Variation in blubber cortisol levels in a recovering humpback whale population inhabiting a rapidly changing environment.

Glucocorticoids are regularly used as biomarkers of relative health for individuals and populations. Around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), baleen whales have and continue to experience threats, including commercial harvest, prey limitations and habitat change driven by rapid warming, and increased human presence via ecotourism. Here, we measured demographic variation and differences across the foraging season in blubber cortisol levels of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) over two years around the WAP. Cortisol concentrations were determined from 305 biopsy samples of unique individuals. We found no significant difference in the cortisol concentration between male and female whales. However, we observed significant differences across demographic groups of females and a significant decrease in the population across the feeding season. We also assessed whether COVID-19-related reductions in tourism in 2021 along the WAP correlated with lower cortisol levels across the population. The decline in vessel presence in 2021 was associated with a significant decrease in humpback whale blubber cortisol concentrations at the population level. Our findings provide critical contextual data on how these hormones vary naturally in a population over time, show direct associations between cortisol levels and human presence, and will enable comparisons among species experiencing different levels of human disturbance.

Social networks shape beliefs and behavior: evidence from social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

We show that social network exposure to COVID-19 cases shapes individuals' beliefs and behaviors concerning the coronavirus. We use de-identified data from Facebook to document that individuals with friends in areas with worse COVID-19 outbreaks reduce their mobility more than otherwise similar individuals with friends in less affected areas. The effects are quantitatively large and long-lasting: a one standard deviation increase in friend-exposure to COVID-19 cases in March 2020 results in a 1.2 percentage point increase in the probability of staying home on a given day through at least the end of May 2020. As the pandemic progresses- and the characteristics of individuals with the highest friend-exposure vary- changes in friendexposure continue to drive changes in social distancing behavior, ruling out many unobserved effects as drivers of our results. We also show that individuals with higher friend-exposure to COVID-19 are more likely to publicly post in support of social distancing measures and less likely to be members of groups advocating to "reopen" the economy. These findings suggest that friends can influence individuals' beliefs about the risks of the disease and thereby induce them to engage in mitigating public health behavior.