This study investigates how youth from two cities in the United States engage in critical data practices as they learn about and take action in their lives and communities in relation to COVID-19 and its intersections with justice-related concerns. Guided by theories of critical data literacies and data justice, a historicized and future-oriented participatory methodological approach is used to center the lived lives and communities of participants through dialogic interviews and experience sampling method. Data were co-analyzed with participants using critical grounded theory. Findings illustrate how youth not only aimed to reveal the dynamic and human aspects of and relationships with data as they engage with/in the world as people who matter but also offered alternative infrastructures for counter data production and aggregation toward justice in the here and now and desired possible futures. Implications for studies of learning with/through data practices in everyday life in relation to issues of justice are discussed.

Localized delivery of nucleic acids to target sites (e.g., diseased tissue) is critical for safe and efficacious gene therapy. An ultrasound-based technique termed acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) has been used to spatiotemporally control the release of therapeutic small molecules and proteins contained within sonosensitive emulsions. Here, ADV was used to control the release of lipoplex – containing plasmid DNA with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) reporter - from a sonosensitive emulsion. Focused ultrasound (3.5 MHz, mechanical index (MI) ≥ 1.5) generated robust release of fluorescein (i.e., surrogate payload) and lipoplex from the emulsion. In situ release of the lipoplex from the emulsion using ADV (MI=1.5, 30 cycles) yielded a 55% release efficiency, resulting in 43% transfection efficiency and 95% viability with C3H/10T1/2 cells. Without exposure to ultrasound, the release and transfection efficiencies were 5% and 7%, respectively, with 99% viability. Lipoplex released by ADV retained its bioactivity while the ADV process did not yield any measureable sonoporative enhancement of transfection. Co-encapsulation of Ficoll PM 400 within the lipoplex loaded emulsion, and its subsequent release using ADV, yielded higher transfection efficiency than the lipoplex alone. The results demonstrate that ADV could have utility in the spatiotemporal control of gene delivery.

Motivation is a key factor for enhancing psychological engagement among underserved youth. However, the abundance of motivational constructs complicates the translation of theory into practice by community-based youth development programs. This paper simplifies the translation process, presenting an actionable motivation model derived from Ryan and Deci’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT) and its sub-construct, organismic integration theory (OIT). This model was developed by Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that cultivates long-term relationships, academic and professional success, and community engagement among low-income, adolescent students of color. Although intrinsic motivation to learn is more positively associated with psychological engagement than extrinsic motivation, contemporary institutions are built around extrinsic incentives. Therefore, guided by OIT, this model cultivates the gradual internalization of motivational regulation by supporting youth’s psychological needs of relatedness, competences, and autonomy. As a practical application of self-determination theory, this model holds promise for adoption by other youth development programs.

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