Graduate Degree Research Articles

UNRAVELLING THE MOTIVATIONAL FORCES BEHIND PURSUING A POSTGRADUATE DEGREE IN ENGLISH EDUCATION

This study investigated the motivations of fresh graduate student pursue their postgraduate study in the English Education Master Program at Sanata Dharma University. The objectives of the study are the to examine the psychological needs, intrinsic factors, and extrinsic factors to develop their study. The main research instruments in this study are semi-structured interviews, which are conducted using a qualitative methodology. The findings revealed that the psychological needs related to the reason for pursuing postgraduate study, participants expressed a desire for control over their educational choices and the importance of feeling competent in their field. The study also finds out intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as skill development, enhanced career prospects, and meeting personal needs, students are encouraged to pursue a graduate degree. The results show that intrinsic motivation, environmental factors, and professional orientation play an important role in students' decisions to pursue a postgraduate education. Although this study provides valuable insights, there are limitations in generalizing the findings to just the population studied. Suggestion for further research involving broader samples and more in-depth analysis is needed to understand the impact of motivation on graduate students' academic and career performance.

The influence of socioeconomic characteristics on active travel in US metropolitan areas and the contribution to health inequity.

The prevalence of chronic disease in the US adult population varies across socioeconomic groups in the USA where approximately six in 10 adults have a chronic condition. Walking or cycling reduces the risk to many of these diseases and is influenced by the built environment, accessibility, and safety. We performed multivariate logistic and linear regression on the Health-Oriented Transportation model parameters using the 2009 and 2017 US National Household Transportation surveys, restricted to adults in major metropolitan areas. Model covariates included socioeconomic and environmental characteristics. Using odds ratios (OR) adjusted for model covariates, we observe several significant variables in 2009 and 2017. Residents of households with no cars were more likely to walk or cycle than those with two cars; OR=5.4 (4.8, 6.0). Residents of households in a census block with population density greater than 2,5000 persons/square mile were more likely to walk or cycle than those with a population density of 2000-3999; OR=2.6 (2.3, 2.8). Individuals with a graduate or professional degree were more likely to walk or cycle than those with a high school degree; OR=2.1 (1.9, 2.2). Individuals that self-report as Black or African American, or Asian are less likely to walk or cycle than White; OR=0.60 (0.56, 0.66), OR=0.70 (0.65, 0.75). The proportional increase in all-cause mortality from estimated reductions in physical activity for African American, Asian, and Hispanic populations were 1.0%, 0.7%, 0.8%, respectively. Access to automobiles and the surrounding population density are primary factors in the decision to walk or cycle. After adjusting for these and other factors, members of low-income, low-education, Black or African American, and Asian populations in US metropolitan areas are less likely to walk or cycle than high-income, high-education, or White populations and the discrepancy in physical activity is likely to contribute to health inequity.

An empirical appraisal of eLife's assessment vocabulary.

Research articles published by the journal eLife are accompanied by short evaluation statements that use phrases from a prescribed vocabulary to evaluate research on 2 dimensions: importance and strength of support. Intuitively, the prescribed phrases appear to be highly synonymous (e.g., important/valuable, compelling/convincing) and the vocabulary's ordinal structure may not be obvious to readers. We conducted an online repeated-measures experiment to gauge whether the phrases were interpreted as intended. We also tested an alternative vocabulary with (in our view) a less ambiguous structure. A total of 301 participants with a doctoral or graduate degree used a 0% to 100% scale to rate the importance and strength of support of hypothetical studies described using phrases from both vocabularies. For the eLife vocabulary, most participants' implied ranking did not match the intended ranking on both the importance (n = 59, 20% matched, 95% confidence interval [15% to 24%]) and strength of support dimensions (n = 45, 15% matched [11% to 20%]). By contrast, for the alternative vocabulary, most participants' implied ranking did match the intended ranking on both the importance (n = 188, 62% matched [57% to 68%]) and strength of support dimensions (n = 201, 67% matched [62% to 72%]). eLife's vocabulary tended to produce less consistent between-person interpretations, though the alternative vocabulary still elicited some overlapping interpretations away from the middle of the scale. We speculate that explicit presentation of a vocabulary's intended ordinal structure could improve interpretation. Overall, these findings suggest that more structured and less ambiguous language can improve communication of research evaluations.

Demographic status and training needs of aesthetic plastic surgeons in government and private hospitals: evidence from Guangdong, China

Purpose: This study aims to survey the demographic status of aesthetic plastic surgeons in an economically developed region and to investigate their continuing training needs in contents, training methods, and barriers in private and government hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a self-administered questionnaire was conducted from January to December, 2022 in Guangdong, China. In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants to gain insights on the current demographic status. Demographic data and training needs assessment were collected and compared with the chi-square test, Fisher’s test, Mann-Whitney U-test using R software. Results: The disparity of surgeons’ demographic data between private and government hospitals was small. Over 60% of practicing aesthetic plastic surgeons transferred from other specialties, and one third of them had less than three years of working experience. Half of surgeons attended training less than three times with an affordable expense of 1000-5000RMB. Almost 80% of them had strong willingness to attend a continuing training program. They prefer to attend further study in a tertiary hospital, with a short topic-focused training course and operation demonstrations. Their favorable training contents were rhinoplasty, eye surgery, and new technologies. Our questionnaire survey revealed the likelihood that the surgeons had a graduate degree in government hospitals outweighed those in private hospitals (P<0.05). Results also showed that the government hospitals focused more on repair and reconstructive surgery and academic research, whereas, private hospitals focused on market needs and were more profit-driven, where the organizational needs had influence on their different training needs for aesthetic plastic surgeons. Conclusion: It would be favorable to take the demographic status of aesthetic plastic surgeons and organizational needs into consideration in designing a continuing training program in plastic surgery.

Initiation and outcomes of women pursuing planned fertility preservation

To study cycle outcomes of women who choose to pursue oocyte cryopreservation, using published age-specific oocyte recommendations. Retrospective cohort. Clinic. A total of 5,915 patients seeking planned oocyte cryopreservation, 3,504 ultimately underwent ovarian stimulation with oocyte retrieval and cryopreservation, 425 of this cohort subsequently thawed with intent to use embryo transfer. Planned oocyte cryopreservation. Planned oocyte cryopreservation consultation, fertility preservation cycle(s) and ovarian stimulation outcomes. A total of 5,915 women were seen in the initial consultation for planned fertility preservation (2012-2022). Ethnicity and the highest level of education were significant in predicting who would move forward with oocyte stimulation for fertility preservation. Women who reported working within the law and public policy and in the fields of health and medicine were statistically more likely to proceed with a cycle than those who listed other occupations. Of 3,504 women in the study cohort who underwent ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, 1,331 (38.0%) achieved the age-based recommended number of oocytes to freeze. Only 57 (4.3%) of these women who met their age-based oocyte goal did so after their initial cryopreservation cycle. There was a significant association between ethnicity and number of cryopreservation cycles, specifically showing that Black or African American women were less likely to complete two or more cycles. Patients whose education background included graduate or professional degrees were more likely to have completed more than one cycle. Self-identified ethnicity was significantly associated with the odds of moving forward with oocyte stimulation for fertility preservation and egg retrieval after initial consultation with ethnic minorities significantly less likely to continue treatment. Of those who undergo egg freezing, most women pursue more than one stimulation and cryopreservation cycle, yet the majority never meet their recommended number to freeze.

Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering degree at the University of Southern California for the space industry

The Department of Astronautical Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC) focuses on space engineering education. It is a unique space-engineering program in the United States where such studies usually constitute parts of aerospace departments. In addition to full-time on-campus students, its flagship Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering degree program reaches working professionals online through distance education. The growth of this space-focused graduate degree program led to the establishment of a new independent department at USC twenty years ago in 2004. Since its founding, this Department of Astronautical Engineering awarded nearly one thousand Master's degrees to students from across the United States, Canada, and selected locations abroad. The article describes the origin, rationale, focus, structure, coursework, and reach of USC's Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering program. It concludes with the lessons learned in program development which contributed to its success.

Diagnostic testing preferences can help inform future public health response efforts: Global insights from an international survey.

Public perception regarding diagnostic sample types as well as personal experiences can influence willingness to test. As such, public preferences for specific sample type(s) should be used to inform diagnostic and surveillance testing programs to improve public health response efforts. To understand where preferences lie, we conducted an international survey regarding the sample types used for SARS-CoV-2 tests. A Qualtrics survey regarding SARS-CoV-2 testing preferences was distributed via social media and email. The survey collected preferences regarding sample methods and key demographic data. Python was used to analyze survey responses. From March 30th to June 15th, 2022, 2,094 responses were collected from 125 countries. Participants were 55% female and predominantly aged 25-34 years (27%). Education and employment were skewed: 51% had graduate degrees, 26% had bachelor's degrees, 27% were scientists/researchers, and 29% were healthcare workers. By rank sum analysis, the most preferred sample type globally was the oral swab, followed by saliva, with parents/guardians preferring saliva-based testing for children. Respondents indicated a higher degree of trust in PCR testing (84%) vs. rapid antigen testing (36%). Preferences for self- or healthcare worker-collected sampling varied across regions. This international survey identified a preference for oral swabs and saliva when testing for SARS-CoV-2. Notably, respondents indicated that if they could be assured that all sample types performed equally, then saliva was preferred. Overall, survey responses reflected the region-specific testing experiences during the COVID-19. Public preferences should be considered when designing future response efforts to increase utilization, with oral sample types (either swabs or saliva) providing a practical option for large-scale, accessible diagnostic testing.

Remote assessment of the association between early executive function and mathematics skills

AbstractExecutive function (EF) skills are consistently associated with global mathematics assessments. However, less is known about which specific mathematics skills invoke EF in early childhood. We adapted batteries of EF, numerical, and patterning tasks to be conducted via synchronous video conferencing with typically developing 4‐year‐old children (N = 115, 56.6% female, 85.2% White, non‐Hispanic, 7.8% Multiracial, 0.9% Hispanic, 0.9% Black, 1.7% American Indian/Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian and 0.9% missing) from primarily upper middle class households (maternal education range: some college to graduate or professional degree, mode = graduate or professional degree) in the United States. We found feasibility of remote adaptation varied greatly by task. Just over half of enrolled children (57.02%) completed all tasks and there were higher rates of missingness compared to an in‐person sample with a similar age range collected in schools. Nonetheless, working memory predicted various mathematics skills, including patterning, verbal counting, and number comparison, controlling for age and maternal education. Relations between cognitive flexibility and patterning varied across model specifications. Overall, these findings provide insight into the costs and benefits of remotely administered direct assessments of EF and mathematics in early childhood and add to the growing body of literature suggesting working memory plays an important role in several foundational early mathematics skills. Suggestions are offered for remote assessment with preschoolers.Highlights Executive function and mathematics tasks were adapted for remote use and associations among skill sets were examined. Remotely administered data collection sessions had higher rates of missingness than comparable in‐person studies. Findings replicate and extend prior work on the associations between working memory and patterning, verbal counting, and number comparison in a remote setting.

Receipt of Gender-Affirming Surgeries Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Veterans.

Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) can be an important part of comprehensive care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals, but this care is not provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) because of an exclusion in the medical benefits package. To describe the receipt of GAS by veterans and assess the associations between key sociodemographic characteristics and receipt of chest ("top") and genital ("bottom") surgeries. Cross-sectional national survey (the GendeR Affirming Care Evaluation (GRACE)), among TGD Veterans conducted between September 2022 and July 2023. A total of 6653 Veterans (54% response rate) completed the survey. Self-reported "top" and "bottom" GAS were key outcomes. Covariates included gender identity, sex assigned at birth, age, race, ethnicity, income, employment status, education, relationship status, sexual orientation, and geographic region. Among all respondents, 39% had ≥ 1 GAS. Among the 4430 veterans interested in top surgery, 38% received it; 23% of 3911 veterans interested in bottom surgery had received it. In multivariable models, older age (50 + vs. 18-39) was associated with higher receipt of top and bottom surgery while nonbinary gender identity (vs. binary gender identity), lower household income (< $50,000 vs. > $75,000), less education (less than a college graduate vs. Master's degree or more), sexual orientations other than heterosexual, and residing in a region other than the Pacific were associated with lower receipt of top and bottom surgery. Individuals assigned male (vs. assigned female) at birth had lower receipt of top surgery and higher receipt of bottom surgery. GAS receipt was low and there were important disparities by gender, sex, income, education, sexual orientation, and region. By removing the exclusion to providing GAS, VA could reduce barriers to accessing GAS and decrease disparities among TGD veterans.

Strategic Workforce Analysis: Identifying Skills and Gaps Among Frontline Public Health Workers Amidst Transformation.

Recent shifts in public health (PH) include consistent budget cuts, workforce attrition, and loss of vital skills and institutional knowledge followed by heightened pandemic-driven attention, new responsibilities, and renewed funding. This study investigates whether frontline employees working in different types of public health departments have different educational characteristics and whether these characteristics are associated with differentials in skill gaps toward informing targeted interventions to nurture a competitive workforce. Utilizing 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) data, we document variations in educational qualifications, skill gaps, and workforce characteristics among frontline workers in different sizes of health departments and examine attributes associated with skill gaps: level and field of education, years of experience, program areas, and job classifications using a negative binomial model. Skill gaps in resource management, systems and strategic thinking, and change management persist across all local health departments (LHDs), but the extent of these gaps is greater in small LHDs. Small LHDs also have few employees with graduate and public health degrees. Additionally, whereas public health degrees were not associated with fewer skill gaps, tenure in public health was, suggesting people learn on the job. The results highlight the role regional training centers can play in emphasizing the need for strategic skills and foundational public health concepts, as well as customizing training content by agency size and educational levels to improve accessibility, particularly for small LHDs with resource constraints.

The cost of being qualified: Current barriers faced by graduate students in forensic anthropology.

When considering the best ethical practices in forensic anthropology, one must consider how accessible the field is to new students that are responsible for driving the future of research, pedagogy, and the field as a whole. While there is no denying that there are multiple barriers to accessing academia (e.g., racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc.) the cost of a graduate education is a key factor that affects the diversity of people that are able to enter the field. Here, the cost of 24 universities prominent in the education of forensic anthropologists are considered in tandem with the opportunities for funding offered by these institutions and average costs of living for the respective surrounding areas. Demographic data for the universities at the graduate and undergraduate level was additionally compared with the demographics of the cities surrounding the universities. Funding, excluding loans, was shown to be greatly below cost of living in university cities, and often did not match the costs of attendance estimated by institutions. Including the cost of living, the average graduate degree costs over $60,000 per year while the average stipend for graduate students is below $14,000 necessitating the need for loans or out-of-institute support. White individuals were overrepresented in graduate enrollment when compared with surrounding area demographics, even when university demographics were similar to those of the surrounding area. Overall, findings highlight the inaccessibility of pursuing higher education for minority groups and demonstrate the need for institutions to develop funding programs to promote diversity in higher education.

Development of advanced practice nursing core competencies in Saudi Arabia: A modified Delphi study

BackgroundAdvanced practice nursing requires a diverse set of competencies that define what advanced practice nurses need to know and be able to do to deliver safe, effective, and high-quality healthcare. Given the lack of evidence regarding core competencies and the evolution of advanced practice nursing roles in Saudi Arabia, it is becoming increasingly important to develop core competencies to standardize educational and clinical training programs. ObjectiveTo define the core competencies of advanced practice nursing in Saudi Arabia. DesignUtilizing a modified Delphi design and snowball sampling technique, data were collected between April and July 2023 using an online questionnaire consisting of 28 core competencies that was developed based on an in-depth literature review and a critical analysis of advanced practice nursing core competencies published by leading professional organizations. Two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted. SettingsThe study was set in clinical and academic settings in Saudi Arabia. ParticipantsNursing experts with graduate degrees as advanced practice nurses. ResultsIn Round 1, 34 advanced practice nursing experts reached full consensus on 24 of the 28 core competencies, and four core competencies reached partial consensus. Based on suggestions and feedback from the experts, the investigators revised ten core competencies to reflect the improvement suggestions and created three new core competencies. A total of 26 core competencies were used in Round 2, which achieved a full consensus among the 34 advanced practice nursing experts, under the following six core competency domains: knowledge of advanced practice nursing, person-centered care, professional improvement, professionalism, communication and interprofessional partnership, and leadership and system-based practice. ConclusionsGiven the need for a standardized competency framework, the 26 core competencies proposed in our study have the potential to guide education and training in academic programs and facilitate the implementation of advanced practice nursing in clinical settings.

Technological support for lifelong learning: The application of a multilevel, person-centric framework

21st century career development is increasingly characterized by recurring participation in work-related skill learning, much of which is mediated by technology. However, integration of this technology into work-related lifelong learning contexts has been relatively atheoretical and non-systematic. Building on interdisciplinary adult learning research and our findings from several studies on an online graduate degree program in a high demand STEM field, we propose a multilevel, person-centric framework of adult learning processes related to: (1) knowledge and skill acquisition, (2) the development and maintenance of motivation and wellbeing over time, and (3) transfer of learning to career-related goals. For each level of the framework, we discuss issues related to the measurement and evaluation of learning. We outline affordances (i.e., functional benefits) of technology (including artificial intelligence) for supporting career-related learning at each level, and present future directions related to major gaps in the field's understanding of these affordances. Throughout the final section, we illustrate the implications of our framework with examples of its use in a research institute focused on AI adult learning technologies. Finally, we present guiding questions for researchers and practitioners interested in technology-mediated career-related learning.

Risk Factors for E-Cigarette Ban Relaxation in Homes With Adolescents

PurposeTo identify risk factors for relaxing a strict e-cigarette ban in households with adolescents. MethodsYouth (ages 12–17) in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study whose parents held a strict vaping ban in 2016 (n = 6,514; 51.5% male) and their parents provided follow-up data on up to four occasions through 2020 on whether the ban was relaxed. Results13.5% of households with strict vaping bans relaxed them in a subsequent wave. Results from a logistic regression model showed that the odds of relaxing strict bans were higher if, at baseline, parents vaped (OR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.22–3.97; p < .01), parents smoked tobacco (OR = 2.55; CI: 2.00–3.26; p < .001), youth smoked tobacco (OR = 2.27; CI: 1.29–4.00; p < .01), parents reported no smoking ban (OR = 2.68; CI: 1.88–3.81; p < .001), youth did not know that their household had a vaping ban (OR = 1.95; CI: 1.50–2.54; p < .001), and parents perceived low harm from vaping (OR = 1.60; CI: 1.16–2.19; p < .01). Although most sociodemographic controls were not independently associated, parents were less likely to relax bans if they had a college degree (OR = 0.71; CI: 0.51–0.998; p < .05), graduate degree (OR = 0.50; CI: 0.43–0.72; p < .001), or children who were non-Hispanic Black (OR = 0.69; CI: 0.49–0.96; p < .05) or Hispanic (OR = 0.62; CI: 0.47–0.81; p < .001). DiscussionWhile most households with adolescents prohibited e-cigarette use indoors, nearly one in seven relaxed prior strict vaping bans. Parents need support to maintain clear, consistent, and continuous restrictions that communicate that vaping is not safe or permissible for youth.

A Study on Causes of Gender Gap in Construction Management: High School Students’ Knowledge and Perceptions across Genders

This paper addresses three research questions: (1) According to the pertinent literature, what are the main causes of the current gender gap in the construction industry, particularly for management and leadership roles? (2) Is there a significant difference between male and female high-school-age students regarding their level of knowledge of the construction industry? (3) Is there a significant difference between male and female high-school-age students in their perception of the construction industry and factors impacting their career choice? These research questions are addressed by a review of the literature followed by a discussion of precamp survey results from two consecutive years of a two-week high school summer camp, which is focused on construction science and management. The literature review reveals that the issues are deep-routed and complex but can in general be categorized into two groups: the recruitment and retention of women in construction management and related careers. While the literature review summary in this paper addresses both categories, the focus of the paper remains recruitment, particularly through a study of high school students’ level of knowledge and perceptions of construction management. The pre-camp surveys assessed the participants’ baseline knowledge and perceptions of construction management as a career. The results showed that the knowledge of construction management as a career is very low, with no statistically significant difference between genders. It must be noted here that the participants are biased positively toward the construction management and related careers, as they chose to attend the camp for a variety of reasons, from wanting an experience on the campus of this university to parents’ encouragement. Despite this baseline interest, however, the data show that the participants lacked clarity on what this career really entails. It is suggested, therefore that the general knowledge of this career path across larger and more randomized samples across U.S. will be even lower. The perceptions of the construction industry differed slightly between genders, with females perceiving it as more physically challenging and prioritizing family friendliness when considering career options. In conclusion, both the literature review and the survey data analysis show that the lack of knowledge of this career path, exacerbated by the negative perceptions of the construction industry, contribute to the problem of women not choosing to study construction management. The construction industry continues to make significant improvements in their diversity and inclusion efforts, and there are a variety of paths within the industry for graduates of construction science and management degrees. As such, significant work remains for both the industry and academia to overcome the lack of knowledge and negative perceptions of the industry through increased outreach to better inform high school students, parents, and counselors.

Racialized teacher tracking: the systematic exclusion of black teachers from advanced-level coursework

ABSTRACT This study systematically investigates the relationship between race/ethnicity and assignment patterns to Advanced Placement (AP) courses by exploring notions of racialized teacher tracking. Administrative data are used to examine AP course assignment in Texas high schools between 2012–2019. Findings show consistent disparities in the likelihood of Black teachers being assigned an AP course, even when controlling for teachers’ graduate degrees, certification pathways, and career levels. Alongside interrelated micro and macro-level institutional factors influencing teacher assignment, findings demonstrate that race/ethnicity structures Black teachers’ access to school resources and shapes perceptions of their legitimacy and status.

Influencing Factors in Pursuing Graduate Degree Program toward Teachers’ Quality of Life

Teachers' pursuit of a master's degree is influenced by many factors, which can considerably affect their quality of life. This study examines these factors focusing on age, education, marital status, family income, job security, self-motivation, financial stability, and recognition, with a significant relationship between these factors and teachers' quality of life. Public elementary and secondary school teachers in Opol District of School Year 2023-2024 are the respondents of the study. A study involved two hundred (200) teacher-respondents, comprising one hundred seventeen (117) elementary and eighty-three (83) Junior and Senior High School teachers. It used Slovin's Formula to determine sample size; and statistical tools such as Pearson r correlation, mean scores, frequency and percentage, and standard deviation. The study found that self-motivation significantly impacts the quality of life of teachers, resulting in increased job security, financial stability, and job dedication. A master's degree empowers educators to become leaders, and mentors, thus influencing education. Empowerment strategies include professional development, praise, recognition, and collaborative decision-making. Further, the study recommends motivating teachers to go on professional development, praising their efforts, giving them recognition and respect, and encouraging collaborative decision-making processes. Moreover, the Department may provide leadership development programs that foster cooperative decision-making processes, incorporating professional growth and development for teachers.

A - 30 Head-Injury Exposure and Later-in-Life Cognitive and Psychiatric Outcomes among Former Collegiate Football Players

Abstract Purpose Current understanding of potential long-term negative cognitive and psychiatric outcomes following head-injury exposure is limited, and this study aimed to evaluate these relationships in former collegiate football players. Method Former collegiate football players completed the College Level Aging Athlete Study (CLEAATS) survey including playing career, concussion/medical/psychiatric history, self-reported cognitive functioning, and measures of depression, anxiety symptoms, positive affect/resilience, emotional dysregulation, and objective cognitive function. A head-injury exposure estimate (HIEE, modified from Kerr et al., 2015) was calculated to determine total sports-related head-injury exposure. Partial correlations (controlling for age and education) examined the relationship between HIEE and cognitive functioning and emotional/mood symptoms. Results Participants (n = 216) were 50–87 years old (M = 63.4 [8.5]), 91% White, and well-educated (bachelor’s or graduate degree = 92%). HIEE (M = 763.8 [342.9]) was not correlated with any cognitive or emotional/mood symptom measures (p’s &amp;gt; 0.075). Depression (r = 0.65), anxiety (r = 0.48), and emotional dysregulation indices (r = 0.50) showed moderate positive correlations with subjective cognitive symptoms. Grit (r = −0.36) and positive affect/well-being (r = −0.49) were negatively correlated with cognitive symptom reporting. Conclusions HIEE was not found to be related to cognitive or emotional/mood outcomes, and results suggest that current emotional/mood symptoms have greater associations with subjective cognitive symptoms. Alternatively, positive affect/resilience were found to be negatively associated with cognitive symptoms, and may serve as protective factors against cognitive complaints. These findings are consistent with previous studies that have reported associations between cognitive symptoms, psychological distress, and resilience in former athletes, highlighting the importance of considering potential impact of current emotional/mood symptoms when evaluating retired players with cognitive concerns.

International Experiences and Trends in Building HighQuality Teachers for Graduate Degree Pre-school Education -- Taking the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States as Examples

The modernization of Chinese-style education calls for a high-quality teaching force, and in the field of pre-school education, the proportion of teachers with postgraduate qualifications is still on the low side, so it is urgent to improve the construction of high-quality teachers in pre-school education. This study takes the policy documents, professional standards, teacher training and other textual materials of early childhood teacher team building in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States as the research object, and summarizes the unique cultivation methods of each country through the literature research method, textual analysis method and comparative research method. In the United Kingdom, different levels of qualifications for early childhood teachers are divided; in New Zealand, a complete system for the implementation of induction education is in place; and in the United States, a multilevel system of professional standards and teacher training for teachers is in place. By exploring the successful experiences of various countries, this paper provides experience for the construction of China s postgraduate educated early childhood teacher team, which in turn stabilizes the teacher team and improves the overall quality of preschool education.

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices on vaccine usage among small ruminant farmers in the Northern Region of Bangladesh.

Small ruminants require vaccines to prevent and manage diseases. Unfortunately, no studies have been conducted in Bangladesh to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of small ruminant farmers (SRF) regarding vaccine use against infectious diseases, affecting the success of vaccination campaigns. The present study aims to assess SRF's KAP regarding vaccines, revealing gaps and barriers to efficient vaccination. Two hundred and twenty-eight SRF in northern Bangladesh were surveyed in a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from random participants through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. KAP levels were categorized as "good" or "poor" and "positive" or "negative" using a scoring method with a 60% cutoff. The analysis comprised the utilization of descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression models. Results showed that most participants were female (60.5%), aged 31-40 (34.2%), with secondary education (28.1%), and vaccination training (22.8%). While 75% knew about vaccines, only 37.3% understood their role in preventing infectious diseases, and 63.6% in reducing antibiotic use 68.4% of farmers were aware of negative drawbacks, and 61.8% reported vaccinating their herds. About 42.1% of the farmers had good knowledge, 52.6% had a positive attitude, and 22.8% followed good practices. Female farmers with graduate degrees and 6-10 years of goat farming experience, but not those with vaccination training, demonstrated stronger knowledge. Female farmers with a graduate degree and 6-10 years of goat farming experience displayed positive attitudes. Female goat farmers from Thakurgaon had a higher likelihood of following good vaccination practices than those with vaccination training. The study unearths disparities in KAP scores among farmers. To effectively address KAP gaps concerning vaccine usage and prevent potential infectious diseases, it is essential to design focused educational and training programs. About 52.6% of SRF hold a positive view toward vaccines.