bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transtheoretical‐Based Model of Intervention for Diabetes and Prediabetes: A Scoping Review
Authors: Miezah Daniel , Amoadu Mustapha , Opoku Priscilla Nyamekye , Junior Enoch Mensah , Zutah Jethro , Obeng Paul , Sarfo Jacob Owusu
Published: April 2024

Diabetes is considered a public health problem worldwide, fostered by population growth, an increase in the overall quality of life, changes in dietary patterns, modifications in lifestyle habits, and the natural process of getting older. To properly control diabetes, the transtheoretical model (TTM) may be useful. This scoping review is aimed at identifying TTM interventions for diabetes. The study followed Arksey and O’Malley’s six steps in conducting the scoping review. Four main databases (PubMed, Central, JSTOR, and ScienceDirect), Google Scholar, Google, and a reference list of identified articles were searched for literature. The study included peer‐reviewed articles published online from 2000 to 2023 and published in the English language. At the end of the search, 3,514 entries were found in the four main databases, and 23 records were identified through Google, Google Scholar searches, and reference lists. After a thorough screening, 22 records were used for this review. The study found that the primary interventions based on the TTM for managing diabetes and prediabetes were educational materials to promote physical activity among diabetes and prediabetes individuals, health education, exercise, motivational interviews, self‐tracking, and dietary changes. Further interventions on diabetes and prediabetes management could adopt the identified transtheoretical interventions to improve the health of their patients.
Full‐Length Genome Sequencing and Analysis of Hepatitis B Viruses Isolated from Iraqi Patients
Authors: Mamoori Yaseen I. , Ahmed Ibrahim A. , Mahmood Ayhan R. , Al-Waysi Safaa A.
Published: April 2024

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver diseases (chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma) and is a leading health problem worldwide. Sequencing of the whole HBV genome provides insight into the virus genotype, subgenotype, serotype, genetic variation, and viral drug resistance. To date, no study has been conducted on the whole genome sequence of HBV obtained from Iraqi patients. Therefore, this is the first study to sequence clinical samples from these patients. Viral genomic DNA was isolated and amplified using five primer sets to amplify five overlapping regions covering the entire HBV genome. The amplicons were sequenced, aligned to a reference sequence, annotated, and submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank database. Sequence analysis showed that the genome size of the tested viral samples was 3,182 bp and belonged to genotype D, subgenotype D1, and serotype ayw2. Missense mutations were found in the four regions (X, PreS1‐S, PreC‐C, and P) of the tested samples, leading to amino acid substitutions, which were 8.4%, 5.1%, 4.7%, and 4.6%, respectively. These mutations may cause severe liver diseases.
Senescent CAFs Mediate Immunosuppression and Drive Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: Ye Jiayu , Baer John M. , Faget Douglas V. , Morikis Vasilios A. , Ren Qihao , Melam Anupama , Delgado Ana Paula , Luo Xianmin , Bagchi Satarupa Mullick , Belle Jad I. , Campos Edward , Friedman Michael , Veis Deborah J. , Knudsen Erik S. , Witkiewicz Agnieszka K. , Powers Scott , Longmore Gregory D. , DeNardo David G. , Stewart Sheila A.
Published: April 2024

The tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly influences tumorigenesis, with gene expression in the breast TME capable of predicting clinical outcomes. The TME is complex and includes distinct cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subtypes whose contribution to tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here, we identify a subset of myofibroblast CAFs (myCAF) that are senescent (senCAF) in mouse and human breast tumors. Utilizing the MMTV-PyMT;INK-ATTAC (INK) mouse model, we found that senCAF-secreted extracellular matrix specifically limits natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity to promote tumor growth. Genetic or pharmacologic senCAF elimination unleashes NK cell killing, restricting tumor growth. Finally, we show that senCAFs are present in HER2+, ER+, and triple-negative breast cancer and in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) where they predict tumor recurrence. Together, these findings demonstrate that senCAFs are potently tumor promoting and raise the possibility that targeting them by senolytic therapy could restrain breast cancer development.

Significance: senCAFs limit NK cell-mediated killing, thereby contributing to breast cancer progression. Thus, targeting senCAFs could be a clinically viable approach to limit tumor progression.

See related article by Belle et al., p. 1324.
The CD33xCD123xCD70 Multispecific CD3-Engaging DARPin MP0533 Induces Selective T Cell–Mediated Killing of AML Leukemic Stem Cells
Authors: Bianchi Matteo , Reichen Christian , Croset Amelie , Fischer Stefanie , Eggenschwiler Aline , Grübler Yvonne , Marpakwar Rajlakshmi , Looser Thamar , Spitzli Patricia , Herzog Christel , Villemagne Denis , Schiegg Dieter , Abduli Liridon , Iss Chloé , Neculcea Alexandra , Franchini Marco , Lekishvili Tamara , Ragusa Simone , Zitt Christof , Kaufmann Yvonne , Auge Alienor , Hänggi Martin , Ali Waleed , Frasconi Teresa M. , Wullschleger Stephan , Schlegel Iris , Matzner Mirela , Lüthi Ursina , Schlereth Bernd , Dawson Keith M. , Kirkin Vladimir , Ochsenbein Adrian F. , Grimm Sebastian , Reschke Nina , Riether Carsten , Steiner Daniel , Leupin Nicolas , Goubier Anne
Published: April 2024

The prognosis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is limited, especially for elderly or unfit patients not eligible for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. The disease is driven by leukemic stem cells (LSCs), which are characterized by clonal heterogeneity and resistance to conventional therapy. These cells are therefore believed to be a major cause of progression and relapse. We designed MP0533, a multispecific CD3-engaging designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) that can simultaneously bind to three antigens on AML cells (CD33, CD123, and CD70), aiming to enable avidity-driven T cell–mediated killing of AML cells coexpressing at least two of the antigens. In vitro, MP0533 induced selective T cell–mediated killing of AML cell lines, as well as patient-derived AML blasts and LSCs, expressing two or more target antigens, while sparing healthy HSCs, blood, and endothelial cells. The higher selectivity also resulted in markedly lower levels of cytokine release in normal human blood compared to single antigen–targeting T-cell engagers. In xenograft AML mice models, MP0533 induced tumor-localized T-cell activation and cytokine release, leading to complete eradication of the tumors while having no systemic adverse effects. These studies show that the multispecific-targeting strategy used with MP0533 holds promise for improved selectivity toward LSCs and efficacy against clonal heterogeneity, potentially bringing a new therapeutic option to this group of patients with a high unmet need. MP0533 is currently being evaluated in a dose-escalation phase 1 study in patients with relapsed or refractory AML (NCT05673057).
¿Qué es aprender para ti?: los espacios virtuales en las experiencias infantiles
Authors: Armijo-Cabrera Muriel
Published: April 2024

(analytical)This paper investigates the complexity of children's online experiences, specifically in relation to their learning. Between 2020 and 2021, self-guided interviews were held with 25 children aged 7 to 11 years in Chile. The research included the production of art by the children and the use of a post-ethnographic approach. Participants were from different geographical, socio-economic and cultural contexts. Eight online dimensions were identified and organized into three types of spaces: formal (rationality and symbolism), subjective (corporality, emotionality and affectivity) and fluid (imaginary, digitality and spirituality). This work recognizes how fluid spaces that are located in the transitional area or potential spaces can promote learning in schools.
Nidos lingüísticos: nichos educativos infantiles para el cultivo de la lengua nasa de Corinto
Authors: Cocha Vladimir , Rosero-Prado Ana Lucía
Published: April 2024

(analytical)Our objective is to reveal the educational practices of revitalization of the Nasa Yuwe mother tongue. We propose how the weakening of their own education affects the harmony between nature, the Ne'j spiritual beings-, the language and the Nasa identity. We propose a qualitative methodology, based on a socio-critical paradigm and the systematization of experiences through narratives of groups and actors of the territory. We highlight how the revitalization of the Nasa Yuwe mother tongue safeguards the Nasa culture through processes of the Indigenous Education System, which use strategies implemented outside the school context. We conclude that the linguistic nests are integral spaces of formation for Nasa boys and girls, emanated from the tulpas of thought by the Nej'-Wesx to the ancestral knowers, guaranteeing the survival of the original indigenous peoples.
Propagation of transient explosive synchronization in a mesoscale mouse brain network model of epilepsy
Authors: Ranjan Avinash , Gandhi Saurabh R.
Published: April 2024

Generalized epileptic attacks, which exhibit widespread disruption of brain activity, are characterized by recurrent, spontaneous, and synchronized bursts of neural activity that self-initiate and self-terminate through critical transitions. Here we utilize the general framework of explosive synchronization (ES) from complex systems science to study the role of network structure and resource dynamics in the generation and propagation of seizures. We show that a combination of resource constraint and adaptive coupling in a Kuramoto network oscillator model can reliably generate seizure-like synchronization activity across different network topologies, including a biologically derived mesoscale mouse brain network. The model, coupled with a novel algorithm for tracking seizure propagation, provides mechanistic insight into the dynamics of transition to the synchronized state and its dependence on resources; and identifies key brain areas that may be involved in the initiation and spatial propagation of the seizure. The model, though minimal, efficiently recapitulates several experimental and theoretical predictions from more complex models and makes novel experimentally testable predictions.
Peiresc, Riolan, and the Library as a Site of Humanist Science
Authors: Guerrini Anita
Published: April 2024

Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1580–1637), the “prince of the Republic of Letters,” and Jean Riolan the younger (1580–1657), the “prince of anatomists,” would seem to have little in common apart from the coincidence of their birth years. It is not clear that they knew each other, although they had many common acquaintances, including Gabriel Naudé, and both engaged in knowledge practices based on both texts and objects. Both were antiquarians with a deep knowledge of classical antiquity, and both were great collectors of books. In the case of the identity of the fossil bones of the supposed ancient king Theutobochus, the responses of Riolan and Peiresc reveal a common devotion to library-based humanist science while they simultaneously evaluated material evidence. These libraries were not passive repositories but dynamic sites of knowledge creation where natural philosophy and humanist scholarship mutually informed each other.
Knowledge and Attitude Towards Insulin Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients and Associated Factors at an Adult Endocrine Clinic of SPHMMC Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Authors: Hailu Selamawit , Ababiya Robel , Nurfeta Rediet , Ababiya Tsion , Tema Lijalem , Teka Bemnet , Deregasso Bezaye , Shane Dereje , Bekele Hundaol , Gidey Saron
Published: April 2024

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a chronic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, is associated with severe complications. Type 2 DM (T2DM), the most prevalent form of DM in adults, is characterized by varying degrees of insulin deficiency or resistance. The prevention or delay of macrovascular and microvascular problems associated with DM depends on achieving appropriate glycemic control. The percentage of T2DM patients failing to reach glycemic targets keeps rising even with the expanded availability of numerous anti-hyperglycemic drugs and evidence-based treatment guidelines. The delay in treatment intensification despite inadequate glucose control—often referred to as clinical or therapeutic inertia-contributes significantly to this trend. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the understanding and perceptions of insulin therapy among patients with T2DM. The study focuses on patients under follow-up care at the Adult Endocrine Clinic of St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College. Method and Material: An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was carried out from January to March 2021 to evaluate knowledge and attitudes regarding insulin therapy and related factors. A structured questionnaire was used for interviews with a representative sample of 271 T2DM patients who are receiving follow-up care at the endocrine clinic at SPHMMC. The SPSS, version 25, was the software utilized. The statistical significance of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables was assessed using a 95% confidence interval and a p-value less than 0.05. Results: The majority of the respondents were between the ages of 56 and 65, with a mean age of 57.35 years. More than half of the participants, accounting for 231 (85.2%) of the total, were from urban areas. Out of the 271 respondents, approximately 85.6% demonstrated poor knowledge of insulin therapy, and around 37.6% exhibited negative attitudes towards it. Factors such as age, occupation, and a history of long-term Oral Antidiabetic Drug use were found to be associated with the level of knowledge about insulin. In addition to these factors, marital status and a family history of insulin use were found to be associated with patients’ attitudes towards insulin. Conclusions: Our study identified a significant knowledge gap about insulin usage among T2DM patients in the designated study area. We recommend the implementation of regular, structured health education programs, delivered by trained health professionals. This approach is expected to enhance both the knowledge and attitudes toward insulin usage among patients attending follow-up sessions at the SPHMMC diabetic clinic.
Causes, Impacts and Mitigation Measures of Human Large Mammal Conflict in Estie Densa Forest Reserve, Estie District, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Ewnetu Setie
Published: April 2024

Human-wildlife conflict is a significant threat to the continued survival of many species and the livelihood of humans. This study aims to assess the conflict between humans and mammals in Estie Densa Forest Reserve, located in Estie Woreda. Currently, the forest reserve faces many problems like crop damage, disease transmission, livestock depredation, and even loss of human life. So, the study generates general information about human mammals conflict and provides baseline information for other researchers. Selection of 95 respondents from local communities through purposive sampling. The Chi-Square Test was employed to determine the significance of differences across the three Villages, and the results were presented in the form of tables and percentages. Crop raiding and livestock depredation have been proven the primary drivers of human-mammal conflict and are statistically significant among the Villages (P≤0.05). Anibus Baboon, Wild Pig, and Common Jackal were the major drivers of the conflict, and had statistical difference among Villages (P≤0.05). Property Loss, and Wildlife Loss covered more than 91% of the total impact perceived as a result of human mammals conflict, and statistically significant (P≤0.05). Livestock guarding (using dogs and shepherds; 50.52%) was the most efficient approach for alleviating livestock depredation and disease transmission from wildlife to livestock and vice versa. While fencing and crop guarding (35.79%) were second in terms of mitigation, but ranked first in terms of reducing agricultural damage caused by wildlife. There should be better awareness of the value and significance of wild animals, the ecology, tourism, and overall conservation of wild mammals.
Surgical Management of Giant Condyloma Acuminata Involving Vulva, Perineum and Perianal Area
Authors: Misra Asha , Madzhia Puritan , Malebana Thabo , Muavha Dakalo , Boshomane John , Baloyi Kaiser
Published: April 2024

Condyloma acuminata (CA), also known as anogenital warts, are benign proliferative epidermal and/or mucosal lesions usually caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) type 6 and 11. They initially manifest as variable sized and shaped soft papules or plaques on anogenital skin. However, they can grow as a large, bulky, lobulated growth. Lesions are commonly multiple and multifocal, affecting the vulva, perianal, vaginal and cervical regions. They represent the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) and are highly contagious. Further, the incidence of CA is 5-7fold higher in Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients compared to immunocompetent patients. The HIV infection reduces the local immune control of HPV infection thus favours the proliferation of the HPV which results into large sized CA. The giant condyloma acuminata (GCA) and giant condyloma of Buschke-Löwenstein (GCBL) are uncommon variants of classical condyloma acuminata (CCA) which can reach the size of 10 to 30 cm. The treatment of CA should be individualized and based upon the extent of disease and treatment availability. The small CA which present as papules or plaques can be treated by Podophyllin, Imiquimod, electrosurgical ablation or cryotherapy. However, GCA require excision with cold knife, electrosurgery or CO2 laser. When the base of GCA is narrow, surgical excision with minimal skin loss allows primary closure of the wound, whereas when the base is broad and relatively fixed, one must keep the differential diagnoses of GCA versus GCBL which require wide excision and reconstruction of the tissue. This case report illustrates the surgical management of GCA with broad base in a 44-year-old female patient with HIV infection. She was treated by wide surgical excision followed by reconstruction of the defect with fascio-cutaneous V-Y advancement flaps. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of condyloma acuminatum. Six months following surgery, she had recurrence of a perianal wart that was cauterized. On further 12 month follow up there was no new recurrence of any condylomatous lesion.
Changes in the Typhoon Intensity under a Warming Climate: A Numerical Study of Typhoon Mangkhut
Authors: Wang Hong , Gao Liang , Zhu Lei , Zhang Lulu , Wu Jiahao
Published: April 2024

Accurately assessing cyclone intensity changes due to global warming is crucial for predicting and mitigating sequential hazards. This study develops a high-resolution, fully coupled air–sea model to investigate the impact of global warming on Supertyphoon Mangkhut (2018). A numerical sensitivity analysis is conducted using the pseudo–global warming (PGW) technique based on multiple global climate models (GCMs) from phase 6 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Under ocean warming scenarios, the increasing average sea surface temperature (SST) by 2.26°, 2.44°, 3.45°, and 4.53°C results in reductions in the minimum sea level pressure by 9.2, 10.6, 15.7, and 19.4 hPa, respectively, compared to the original state of Typhoon Mangkhut. Rising SST increases the turbulent heat flux; to be specific, an average SST increase of 2.26°–4.53°C changes the turbulent heat flux into 177%–272% of the original value. Besides, stronger winds enhance SST cooling, including upwelling and entrainment, leading to an increase in the mixed layer depth (MLD). Tropical cyclone heat potential (TCHP) tends to be enhanced under the combined influences as the SST rises. An average increase in the SST of 2.26°, 2.44°, 3.45°, and 4.53°C leads to an increase in the TCHP of 9.94%, 9.85%, 14.67%, and 15.30%, respectively. However, future changes in atmospheric temperature and humidity will moderate typhoon intensification induced by ocean warming. Considering atmospheric conditions, the maximum wind speed decreases by approximately 10% compared to only considering ocean warming. Nevertheless, typhoon intensity is projected to strengthen under future climate change.

Significance Statement

This study examines the role of global warming in typhoon intensity and the response of typhoon events to changes in the oceanic thermal structure. Sensitivity experiments considering future warming climates are conducted using a fully coupled air–sea numerical model. An average increase in sea surface temperature (SST) by 4.53°C can lead to a reduction in the minimum sea level pressure by 19.4 hPa. Ocean warming enhances oceanic mixing, potentially increasing the availability of heat energy for typhoon’s development (i.e., an average increase in SST by 4.53°C leads to a 15.30% increase in heat energy). However, future changes in atmospheric temperature and humidity will moderate the intensification of typhoons induced by ocean warming. These results are expected to provide information for assessing the future changes in typhoon intensity under a warming climate, which is important for predicting and reducing sequential risks.
Deep Learning–Based Ensemble Forecast and Predictability Analysis of the Kuroshio Intrusion into the South China Sea
Authors: Qian Junkai , Wang Qiang , Liang Peng , Peng Suqi , Wang Huizan , Wu Yanling
Published: April 2024

The Kuroshio intrusion (KI) into the South China Sea (SCS) significantly affects the environment, ecology, and climate change of the SCS. However, due to the nonlinearity of KI, its numerical prediction often requires a large ensemble size to measure prediction uncertainty. The huge computational costs of large numbers of members and high-resolution numerical models pose significant challenges for KI prediction. We, therefore, construct a Kuroshio ensemble deep learning prediction system (KurNet) by taking different values of parameters to predict KI paths because the deep learning models have high prediction skills and low computational cost. The KurNet containing 64 ensemble members not only can output ensemble mean forecast results of the Kuroshio path but also can estimate probability density functions for the path types. The KurNet illustrates a high predictive ability for the KI with the mean classification accuracy of 71.9% and root-mean-square error of 0.913 on the testing set, which is superior to the single control prediction by ∼1.0%–2.9%, although the control prediction model is selected as one of the ensemble members with the best predictive ability on the validation set. Furthermore, the predictability analysis of 10 KI events indicates that when the lead time is 3 days, the most important areas are in the east of Luzon Island due to the upstream Kuroshio transport. As the lead time increases, the most important area is in the Luzon Strait due to the eddy activity. Observing system simulation experiments reveal that the KI forecast skill can be enhanced by ∼12%–18% when uncertainties of the input data in these important regions are removed.
A Reproducible Peritonsillar Abscess Incision and Drainage Model for Junior Trainees
Authors: Marouf Azmi , Doty Samuel , Quereshy Humzah A. , Johnson Benjamin R. , Cabrera Claudia I. , Mowry Sarah , Tamaki Akina
Published: April 2024

Objectives:

To describe the design and construction of a reproducible, low-cost, peritonsillar abscess (PTA) incision and drainage simulator and assess its impact on trainees’ confidence.

Methods:

The 2-part simulator we developed consisted of a manikin head with a fixed, partially open mouth and a modular PTA mold. The mold is created by injecting a lotion and water mixture into plastic bubbles, followed by silicone solidification. Neodymium magnets secure the silicone-abscess packet to the manikin’s palate. The simulator was utilized during an academic otolaryngology residency training program Annual Otolaryngology Boot Camp. A self-assessment Likert scale questionnaire was used to evaluate participants’ confidence before and after simulator training. Fourth-year medical students and junior (first and second year) residents who participated in the boot camp and agreed to complete the evaluation were included.

Results:

Three medical students, 17 PGY-1, and 10 PGY-2 residents agreed to complete the evaluation. All trainees agreed the model was useful for learning skills. The overall post-training confidence Likert scores of participants, and PGY-1 residents in particular, significantly improved compared to their pre-training scores ( P < .001).

Conclusions:

Our model offers an affordable and efficient training opportunity for residents to enhance their competence in managing PTAs. This approach, with its simple yet effective design and low production cost, shows potential for scalability on a broader scale.
Public perceptions of climate change during the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from social media data in China
Authors: Wang Yan , Peng Caiyang
Published: April 2024

An emerging body of literature highlights the impact of crises and disasters in shaping climate change attitudes, yet the findings have been equivocal. The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 have posed great threats worldwide, but it also provides opportunities to explore the impact of crises in natural settings. Based on social media data in the early stage of the emergence of the pandemic in China, this study addresses the controversy and examines the extent to which the outburst of COVID-19 influences climate change attitudes. Frequency and popularity analyses of the posts suggest that public attention shifted toward the devastating impacts of the epidemic, whereas sentiment analyses indicate that the posts contain a more positive sentiment as people are more proactive in taking action to address climate change after the coronavirus outbreak. This study provides us with a more nuanced understanding of the underlying influencing factors of climate change attitudes and evaluates the implications of the pandemic and other uncertain events on environmental concerns.
The Effects of Noise on Children’s Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gheller Flavia , Spicciarelli Gaia , Scimemi Pietro , Arfé Barbara
Published: April 2024

Noise exposure may interfere with concentration, learning, and executive functions. In children, in particular, the non-auditory consequences of acoustically inadequate conditions are a serious concern. This systematic review examined the evidence from 26 studies investigating the effects of noise on primary school children’s cognitive and academic performance. The reviewed studies show that speech noise significantly impairs children’s verbal working memory. Meanwhile, non-speech environmental noise appears to notably affect academic performance, particularly in reading. Other types of non-speech noise may, instead, even improve the cognitive performance of children, although only for children with low attentional skills. However, only a few studies have compared the impacts of speech and non-speech noise or explored noise effects across various cognitive tasks. And finally, there’s a shortage of both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies assessing developmental effects. Overall, this scarcity limits the ability to draw robust conclusions about noise effects on children’s cognitive and academic abilities.
Participation and Persistence in High School Elective Music Ensembles
Authors: Elpus Kenneth , Abril Carlos R.
Published: April 2024

In this study, we examined demographic patterns of participation and persistence in high school elective music ensembles. We extend prior research that has only compared music and non-music students by explicitly modeling persistence across multiple years of ensemble enrollment. The research draws on data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 and employs a zero-inflated Poisson regression model to analyze the data. This hurdle model, suitable for count data with a large number of zero observations, allows us to jointly examine factors related to enrolling in at least 1 year of a music ensemble (moving from 0 years to 1 year of music) and those factors related to accruing additional years of music ensemble enrollment (moving beyond 1 year to multiple years). We found that family socioeconomic status, birth-assigned sex, academic achievement, shared parent/student outside arts event attendance, and out-of-school arts engagement were significant predictors of both students’ music participation and persistence. By examining persistence, we add important nuance to the prior research examining demographic predictors of elective high school music enrollment, particularly for issues of birth-assigned sex and socioeconomic status in the choral context.
The Editor’s Note: Leadership takes practice
Authors: Preston Teresa
Published: April 2024

Kappan editor-in-chief Teresa Preston presents an overview of the May issue on student leadership.
Possibilities of student voice
Authors: Stickney Dane , Ventura Julissa
Published: April 2024

Student voice initiatives like surveys, student councils, and classes focused on leadership and agency all provide youth a way to share their opinions about school-based issues and take action to rectify them to some degree. But the way each initiative is leveraged, the experiences of the young people and educators involved, and the initiatives’ varied goals complicate a singular definition of student voice. Dane Stickney and Julissa Ventura identify levels of student voice to help educators and school leaders in assessing current student-centered approaches and create new, more transformative options that deeply motivate and engage youth.
Student leadership in family-school partnerships
Authors: Capretta Thomas J. , Zhang Jingyang (Max) , Anderman Eric M. , Boone Barbara J.
Published: April 2024

Thomas J. Capretta, Jingyang (Max) Zhang, Eric M. Anderman, and Barbara J. Boone revisit Joyce Epstein’s 1995 Kappan article on overlapping spheres of influence and family-school partnerships. They highlight one idea from the article that has been largely overlooked — the role of student voice and leadership. To refocus researchers’ and practitioners’ attention to the role of students in family and community partnership, they synthesize existing research to elaborate on Epstein’s original models and ideas. They provide three levels of research-based, practical recommendations for districts and schools to elevate student roles and cultivate student leadership in family-school engagement efforts. Finally, they illustrate what these practices look like in schools using an Ohio school district as an example.
Creating student leaders through civics
Authors: Sew Natalie , Bock Adrianne Billingham , Allen Danielle
Published: April 2024

Building on the literature of student leadership development, Natalie Sew, Adrianne Billingham Bock, and Danielle Allen share an approach to civic education: Deeper Civic Learning. This approach offers students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and key civic dispositions needed to engage in their communities and develop their leadership capacities. This article shares insights from the authors’ work co-designing an 8th-grade civics curriculum with Massachusetts educators. It highlights student perspectives on their experiences with the curriculum through extended stories of the application of civic skills and dispositions in their lives.
An AI wishlist from school leaders
Authors: Borasi Raffaella , Miller David E. , Vaughan-Brogan Patricia , DeAngelis Karen , Han Yu Jung , Mason Sharon
Published: April 2024

To better understand the current challenges surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 schools, a team of researchers (Raffaella Borasi, David E. Miller, Patricia Vaughan-Brogan, Karen DeAngelis, Yu Jung Han, and Sharon Mason) interviewed 36 western New York school leaders in late 2023. Their concerns moved beyond potential cheating, as they instead identified four main priorities: receiving guidance to inform their decisions about AI, empowering all stakeholders to better understand AI and its implications, capitalizing on AI to support the work of teachers and staff, and enabling better technology solutions. These should inform future interventions aiming at leveraging AI in K-12 education.
Learning with Leaders: Education is the way: Tony Thurmond
Authors: Lane James F.
Published: April 2024

Tony Thurmond, California’s state superintendent of public instruction, talks with James F. Lane about student leadership, the teacher shortage, and Thurmond’s recent announcement that he is running for governor of California.
Policy Solutions: Policy, not politics
Authors: Collins Jonathan E.
Published: April 2024

The 2024 presidential election features a rematch from four years ago: President Biden and former President Trump. While all presidential elections matter, columnist Jonathan E. Collins argues that this election is especially pivotal to K-12 education policy. Collins poses major education policy questions that we should be asking heading into the upcoming election.
Career Confidential: Parents blaming teacher for child’s misbehavior
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: April 2024

Phyllis L. Fagell offers workplace advice to educators. In this month’s column, a teacher is frustrated by parents who blame her for their son’s misbehavior instead of partnering with her to help him. How can she avoid approaching them in anger?
A Common Ground Gun Violence Prevention Policy Package
Authors: Grene Kathleen , Dharani Amani , Siegel Michael
Published: April 2024

In 2022 we conducted a literature review, surveyed 1078 gun owners, and conducted post-survey focus groups and interviews of gun owners and non-gun owners, to determine a common ground gun violence prevention (GVP) policy package. This allowed us to see policies that would save lives and be widely accepted: (1) violent misdemeanor laws, (2) state permit laws, combined with universal background checks; (3) red flag laws. Based on our review of relevant research, we conservatively estimate that in states without any of the policy package components, implementing this package would result in a 27.9% reduction in firearm deaths. We believe that polarization between firearm owners and non-firearm owners, which has thwarted a widely supported response to the problem of gun violence, is largely a harmful myth that can be overcome by including gun owners in the process of fashioning an effective policy approach.
Recurrent neural network for pitch control of variable-speed wind turbine
Authors: Asghar Aamer Bilal , Ehsan Raza , Naveed Khazina , Al-Ammar Essam A. , Ejsmont Krzysztof , Nejman Mirosław
Published: April 2024

Wind is one of the most widely used renewable energy sources due to its cost-effectiveness, power requirements, operation, and performance. There are many challenges in wind turbines, such as wind fluctuation, pitch control, and generator speed control. When the wind speed exceeds its rated value, the pitch angle controller limits the generator output power to its rated value. In this research work, several soft computing techniques have been implemented for pitch control of variable-speed wind turbine. The data is collected for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory offshore 5 MW baseline wind turbine. Wind speed, tip speed ratio, and power coefficient are taken as inputs, and pitch angle as output. Machine learning and artificial intelligence-based techniques such as recurrent neural networks (RNNs), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), multilayer perceptron feed-forward neural network (MLPFFNN), and fuzzy logic controller (FLC) are implemented on MATLAB, and their results are evaluated in terms of mean square error (MSE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The controllers have been implemented in MATLAB/Simulink to schedule the wind turbine blade pitch angle and keep the output power stable at the rated value. The experimental results show that RNN provided the best results for 15 neurons in hidden layers and 1000 epochs with MSE of 3.28e-11 and RMSE of 5.54e-06, followed by MLPFFNN with MSE of 2.17e-10 and RMSE of 1.56e-05, ANFIS with MSE of 8.5e-05 and RMSE of 9.22e-03, and FLC with MSE of 6.25e-04 and RMSE of 0.025. The proposed scheme is more reliable and robust and can be easily implemented on a physical setup by using interfacing cards such as dSPACE, NI cards, and data acquisition cards.
Diagnostic accuracy of clinical visual assessment using endoscopic images for nasal cavity mass lesions
Authors: Kwon Kyung Won , Yu Myeong Sang
Published: April 2024

Objectives: Discrimination of nasal cavity lesions using nasal endoscopy is challenging because of the differences in clinical manifestations and treatment strategies. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of clinical visual assessment (CVA) of nasal cavity masses using endoscopic images and determine whether there is a difference according to pathologic class and the examiners’ experience. Methods: We collected pathologically confirmed endoscopic images of normal findings, nasal polyp (NP), benign tumor, and malignant tumor (each class contained 100 images) randomly selected. Eighteen otolaryngologists, including six junior residents, six senior residents, and six board-certified rhinologists classified the test set images into four classes of lesions by CVA. Diagnostic performance according to the pathologic class and the examiner's experience level was evaluated based on overall accuracy, F1-score, confusion matrix, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: Diagnostic performance was significantly different according to the pathological class of nasal cavity mass lesions with the overall accuracy reported high in the order of normal, NP, benign tumor, and malignant tumor (0.926 ± 0.100; 0.819 ± 0.135; 0.580 ± 0.112; 0.478 ± 0.187, respectively), F1 score (0.937 ± 0.076; 0.730 ± 0.093; 0.549 ± 0.080; 0.554 ± 0.146, respectively) and AUC value (0.96 ± 0.06; 0.84 ± 0.07; 0.70 ± 0.05; 0.71 ± 0.08, respectively). The expert rhinologist group achieved higher overall accuracy than the resident group (0.756 ± 0.157 vs. 0.680 ± 0.239, p < .05). Conclusion: CVA for nasal cavity mass was highly dependent on the pathologic class and examiner's experience. The overall accuracy was reliably high for normal findings, but low in classifying benign and malignant tumors. Differential diagnosis of lesions solely based on nasal endoscopic evaluation is challenging. Therefore, clinicians should consider further clinical evaluation for suspicious cases.
Does gentrification constrain housing markets for low-income households? Evidence from household residential mobility in the New York and San Francisco metropolitan areas
Authors: Song Taesoo , Chapple Karen
Published: April 2024

This research investigates whether gentrification restricts housing markets for low-income households by focussing on the New York and San Francisco metropolitan areas from 2013 to 2019. We investigate whether gentrification correlates with increased out-migration and decreased in-migration of low-income residents in affected neighbourhoods, and how it shapes where out-movers relocate. We leverage a unique longitudinal dataset to compare two extreme regional contexts characterised by significant affordability challenges and intense housing regulations. By doing so, this study aims to provide a more refined understanding of gentrification and residential mobility dynamics, avoiding broad generalisations or a narrow focus on single metropolitan contexts. The findings indicate that in both regions, low-income households are indeed more likely to leave gentrifying neighbourhoods compared to non-gentrifying ones and less likely to enter them compared to higher-income households. The study also finds mixed results regarding the subsequent residential situations of these low-income movers. Based on these findings, we provide implications for research and policies oriented towards improving housing and neighbourhood access for low-income households in rapidly changing urban areas.
Walls and openings: The politics of containment of informal communities in Islamabad
Authors: Moatasim Faiza
Published: April 2024

In many large cities today, spaces of extreme wealth and poverty often exist in proximity. City officials, private developers and wealthy residents often ‘correct’ this cheek-by-jowl situation of proximate yet drastically unequal communities by building physical walls and fences between them. What is the interface between spaces inside and outside the walls built around low-income communities in elite neighbourhoods? How do people living inside the walls built to contain their communities engage with this infrastructure of control? This article addresses these questions by presenting the politics of socio-spatial separation of a low-income and informally built walled community called France Colony in a wealthy neighbourhood in Islamabad (Pakistan). It shows how the wall around France Colony is not only an ineffective sealing device; its porosity has also ironically prompted adjacent wealthy residents to retreat inside their large homes and raise their boundary walls. Not only do walls make obvious the intentions and anxieties of people on the outside trying to control the presence and growth of a low-income community, but spatial practices and negotiations around involuntarily built enclosures can minimise their restrictive intent and provide opportunities for enclosed communities to demand their rights to space.
‘Fruitless circularity’ or moral growth? Reinterpreting the circular mobility in Evelyn Waugh’s Decline and Fall
Authors: Lin Wukai , Wang Taohua
Published: April 2024

Evelyn Waugh’s novel Decline and Fall features a circular narrative structure, with the unjust expulsion of Paul from Oxford University at the beginning and his enigmatic return at the end. Existing interpretations of this circularity, typically labelled as ‘fruitless’ or ‘futile’, have largely neglected the underlying tension between capitalist ideology and Paul’s moral subjectivity, which governs his movements through various spaces in the novel. Drawing upon Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s conceptual framework of ‘territory’ and Henri Lefebvre’s notion of ‘social space’, this article proposes an alternative understanding of Paul’s three-part adventure as a process of ‘territorialization’, ‘deterritorialization’ and ‘reterritorialization’. These stages correspond to Paul’s moral development: moral decline, moral awakening and further moral growth. With his return to Oxford, Paul’s adventure constitutes, instead of an apparent ‘fruitless circularity’, a tortuous process of moral growth. Waugh thereby depicts the early twentieth-century British capitalist social space as a ‘vanity fair’ and explores the possibilities for individual growth within a territory of general moral decline.
Intersectional Emancipation for Biocultural Conservation: An Exploratory Neolocalism Framework
Authors: Cavaliere Christina T. , Branstrator Julia R. , Cheer Joseph M.
Published: April 2024

Ketchikan, Alaska, is a coastal gateway community that has experienced rapid changes, unearthing visceral realizations of biocultural vulnerabilities and bioregional interdependencies. Bordering the Tongass National Forest, the community embodies and endures complicated historicized impacts from neoliberalism, reproduced today by mass cruise tourism. During the COVID-19 global lockdown, remote field work was conducted employing qualitative, in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The rich data illuminated embodied resident perceptions of community changes and bioregional sensoryscapes. Social-ecological reproduction theory is extended by conceptualizing complex interrelationships involving intersectional emancipation, neolocalism, and biocultural conservation. Emerging from the findings, the authors present an exploratory neolocalism framework including the following seven-indicators: resilient governance, diverse economies, biocultural conservation, intersectional engagement, biocultural identity, emancipatory zoning, and decomposition. This framework is intended to support regenerative tourism planning that resists oppression from corporate domination through neolocal resilience. This research articulates issues of community agency, social-ecological reproduction, and intersectional emancipation for biocultural conservation.
Circumventing Section 116 Through ‘Indirect or Devious Means’: Freedom of Religion and the Boundaries of Executive Power
Authors: Saunders Benjamin B. , Deagon Alex
Published: April 2024

This article considers how section 116 of the Australian Constitution applies to executive power. Notwithstanding that the express terms of s 116 apply only to legislative power, we argue that s 116 should be interpreted to also limit the exercise of executive power. A literal interpretation would have the effect that the Commonwealth can circumvent a constitutional limitation on legislative power through the exercise of executive power and would undermine the fundamental constitutional principle of legislative supremacy. An implication that s 116 restricts executive power in the same fashion as legislative power enhances the coherence of the Constitution as creating an integral polity and eliminates disconnect between legislative power and executive power with respect to the same subject matter.
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: the relationship between cardiac vagal tone, emotion recognition, and expressive prosody
Authors: Leal Michelle , Adan Marilyn , Heilman Keri J , Kolacz Jacek , Cockcroft Kate
Published: April 2024

Children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder have difficulties with emotion regulation and recognition which impacts their social functioning. Due to its recent definition, there is limited information on the neural mechanisms of this disorder. This exploratory study examined the role of autonomic heart regulation in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, motivated by suggestions of reduced autonomic regulation (measured by heart rate variability) associated with psychiatric disorders in adults and children. The cross-sectional design sampled two groups of children, one with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder ( n = 15; 14 male) and the other with typical development ( n = 15; 14 male). Heart rate variability, facial emotion recognition accuracy and speed, and prosody were measured. There were no significant differences in heart rate variability between the two groups before, or during, the tasks. However, children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder experienced significantly greater difficulty recognising fear in faces compared to controls and confused other negatively valenced emotions. There was also a significant negative correlation between heart rate variability and prosody modulation (verbal expression of emotion) in the control group, a relationship that was absent in the disruptive mood dysregulation disorder group. These results suggest that atypical autonomic regulation during emotionally evocative situations and difficulty with facial emotion recognition may contribute to the challenges experienced by children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. This is valuable knowledge for psychologists, which can contribute to individualised, effective, and comprehensive care that addresses the child’s emotional, social, and relational well-being.