Impact of Wellness Policy Review, Wellness Council Activity, and Student Health Objectives on Overall School Wellness Climate.

Background: The whole school, whole community, whole child (WSCC) model suggests wellness councils, ongoing review of wellness policy, and a plan for evaluating set objectives are some of the key features needed to support school wellness infrastructure. This study explored the relationship between implementation of these infrastructure features and overall school wellness environment assessment scores among a sampling of Pennsylvania schools.

Methods: The Healthy Champions program provides Pennsylvania schools an opportunity to self-assess their wellness environments across several school wellness topics.

Genetic Modification of Species by DNA Transduction.

Bacteriophages (phages) are ubiquitous in nature. These viruses play a number of central roles in microbial ecology and evolution by, for instance, promoting horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among bacterial species. The ability of phages to mediate HGT through transduction has been widely exploited as an experimental tool for the genetic study of bacteria.

School Nurse Perspectives on COVID-19.

Pennsylvania responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by closing schools and moving to online instruction in March 2020. We surveyed Pennsylvania school nurses ( = 350) in May 2020 to assess the impact of COVID-19 on nurses' concerns about returning to school and impact on practice. Data were analyzed using χ tests and regression analyses.

In Their Own Words: Resources Needed by School Nurses to Facilitate Student Immunization Compliance.

Background: All 50 states have school-entry immunization requirements, and many also allow exemptions based on medical and non-medical reasons. School nurses are responsible for managing student immunization compliance based on state policies, but lack standardized resources and guidance.

Methods: Pennsylvania school nurses (N = 21) participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their strategies for communication and management of student immunization information, along with resources needed for practice improvement.

Conjugal DNA Transfer in Sodalis glossinidius, a Maternally Inherited Symbiont of Tsetse Flies.

Stable associations between insects and bacterial species are widespread in nature. This is the case for many economically important insects, such as tsetse flies. Tsetse flies are the vectors of , the etiological agent of African trypanosomiasis-a zoonotic disease that incurs a high socioeconomic cost in regions of endemicity.