The study discusses the challenges adolescents face during the transition to secondary school and the need for a comprehensive assessment tool to evaluate their readiness. The Positive School Transition Readiness Survey (PSTRS) was developed to assess a wide range of components that facilitate a positive transition and are important for adolescent well-being. The PSTRS showed acceptable internal consistency reliability for most subscales and demonstrated construct validity. The survey is multidimensional, correlating positively with well-being and negatively with anxiety, indicating its potential usefulness for school professionals, practitioners, researchers, and adolescents. The study also acknowledges limitations and suggests future research for further refinement of the PSTRS.

The article discusses the increasing global temperatures, highlighting that the planet is now 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) warmer than during the pre-industrial era. The past seven years have been the hottest on record, with 2021 tying for the sixth-hottest year despite being a La Niña year, which typically cools global temperatures. The article notes that the Arctic is warming at a rate three to four times faster than the global average, contributing to accelerated ice melt and sea-level rise. In 2021, eleven countries broke or tied their national heat records, with the Pacific Northwest and western Canada experiencing significant heat waves. The United States faced various weather extremes, including a costly winter storm in Texas and record warmth in June. The oceans also reached a record high in heat content, which can lead to sea-level rise and intensify tropical storms, as seen with Hurricane Ida. The article is based on the expertise of meteorologist Scott Duncan.

Scott Duncan reports on the extreme weather events that have struck British Columbia, Canada, within a short span of time. The region experienced one of the most severe heatwaves on record in June 2021, with temperatures reaching a record-breaking 49.6°C. This heatwave led to widespread wildfires. Only a few months later, in November 2021, the same area was hit by an atmospheric river event, causing historic rainfall and catastrophic flooding. The article discusses the role of climate change in increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events, suggesting that the warming climate is making it easier for these events to reach extreme thresholds. The piece also touches on the concept of atmospheric rivers and their impact on weather patterns, including recent events in Europe and California.

The study investigates the filtration efficiency and total inward leakage of five types of masks relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: reusable fabric masks, disposable procedure/surgical masks, KN95 masks, and N95 respirators. Results show that N95 respirators provide the highest level of protection due to their superior filtration efficiency and effective face seal. KN95 masks, while having high filtration efficiency, do not match the inward leakage protection of N95 respirators. Disposable procedure masks and fabric masks offer significantly lower protection, with face seal leakage being a critical factor. The study emphasizes the importance of mask fit and recommends testing or seeking guidance from impartial authorities to ensure mask standards are met.

The Courier and Evening Telegraph have combined their newsrooms to provide expanded local news coverage across Tayside and Fife. Subscribers to The Courier will now have access to Evening Telegraph content on The Courier website. There are no changes to the print or ePaper versions of the newspapers, and existing subscription benefits remain unchanged. The combined newsroom aims to deliver live news, breaking crime news, and in-depth features, with all content accessible through The Courier's digital platforms.

Scott Duncan discusses the extreme weather patterns experienced across Europe during the winter, attributing them to the variability of the polar vortex and the jet stream. He explains how a sudden stratospheric warming led to a weak polar vortex and disrupted the jet stream, causing unusual cold and warm weather patterns. Duncan also touches on the record-breaking cold in North America and the potential links between jet stream behavior and climate change, highlighting the debate among scientists. He emphasizes that while natural variability is a significant factor in weather extremes, human-induced climate change could be influencing the jet stream, potentially leading to harsher droughts and heatwaves. However, the exact role of the jet stream in climate change remains unclear, and cold extremes are becoming less frequent.

The study investigates the relationships between physical activity (PA), cognition, and academic performance in primary school children aged 7-10 years. It confirms positive associations between PA and both cognition and academic performance, with cognition partially mediating the relationship between PA and academic performance. The research involved 675 participants from 16 primary schools in Auckland and Dunedin, New Zealand, using pedometers to measure PA, CNS Vital Signs for cognitive assessment, and e-asTTle for academic performance. The study highlights the need for further research to explore these relationships across different demographic groups and to consider additional confounding factors such as socioeconomic status and parental education levels.

Fintech growth in Asia is on the rise, with 2016 seeing a significant shift of fintech activities from the UK and US to Asia. Fintech investments in the Asia-Pacific region reached a record high of US$10.5 billion in 2016. As financial markets and businesses in Asia face challenges such as economic contraction and shrinking margins, fintech is seen as a potential savior from recession. Regulatory burdens are increasing, leading to more paperwork for relationship managers and a shift towards fintech platforms for wealth management. Several banks, including LGT Group, DBS, and OCBC, have made significant acquisitions in the region.

Pfc. Donald Burpee, who lived at Camp Lejeune, died of kidney cancer linked to toxic chemical exposure at the base. Despite medical coverage, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) repeatedly denied his disability claims, a decision influenced by the VA's subject matter expert (SME) program. Critics argue the SME program may be designed to deny claims and evade responsibility. The article highlights broader concerns about the VA's treatment of veterans exposed to environmental hazards, including Agent Orange and burn pit smoke. The VA's reliance on outdated data and potential conflicts of interest among SMEs are also scrutinized. The article calls for fair and balanced evaluations of veterans' claims, emphasizing the need for updated scientific evidence and transparency.

The top business schools have remained largely unchanged in U.S. News rankings over the past 20 years, with the M7 schools—Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, and Columbia—consistently dominating the top ten. A review of the rankings shows that seven schools have been in the top ten every year since 1996. The article provides charts illustrating the number of appearances and average ranks over the last 10 and 15 years, highlighting the static nature of the rankings and the intense competition for these elite programs.