Month: April 2024

The Impact of Integrating Tribal Culture and Science Education Through Information and Communication Technology

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Abstract

Past studies have provided important insights into the relationship between science education and information and communication technologies (ICTs). However, few studies have sought to promote learning by integrating science education with indigenous culture via ICTs. Indigenous culture is a treasure of human civilization, but there is a crisis of rapid disappearance. Integrating indigenous culture into students’ science education may help them understand the scientific implications of their culture, and preserve and participate in their cultural activities. This study explores the relationships between science education and indigenous culture through the use of ICTs in the context of Taiwan’s Rukai tribe. A research process was proposed with three steps: planning, execution, and evaluation. There were 15 indigenous pre-service teachers from six tribes participating in the study. The results show that ICTs help them understand the scientific principles of their own culture, and develop practical materials and lesson plans that can be used for future teaching. It also makes them aware of the meaning and importance of their own culture.

Enhancing Students’ Learning of the Concept of Equilibrium Through a Culturally Responsive Inquiry of the Bulan Kite

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Abstract

This article presents an empirical study of the use of Indigenous knowledge of the Bulan kite to teach the concept of “equilibrium” among Muslim students (n = 109 students) in private Islamic schools (in the southern part of Thailand). The design of the culturally responsive teaching comprising three lessons was guided by the 5E model. The study took 7 months from creating three lesson plans and a pre- and post-test until it was implemented in the physics classroom. A pre- and a post-test with 40 multiple-choice items were used to assess students’ understanding of equilibrium. A hypothetical model of the construct was validated using a dichotomous Rasch model. To measure learning gains, we fixed the pre- and post-item difficulties and estimated the post-instruction person’s ability. The Welch t-test was used to compare the means of pre- and post-instruction person ability. The results indicated that the Rasch model fits the data well. The hypothetical model was confirmed. The successful students showed the person measures with a statistically significant increase (p < 0.01) at the end of the intervention (M2 = 1.061, SD2 = 0.64) compared to the person measures before the implementation (M1 =  − 0.001, SD1 = 0.591). The implications for learning progression of students are discussed.

A Multimodal Omics Framework to Empower Target Discovery for Cardiovascular Regeneration

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Abstract

Ischaemic heart disease is a global healthcare challenge with high morbidity and mortality. Early revascularisation in acute myocardial infarction has improved survival; however, limited regenerative capacity and microvascular dysfunction often lead to impaired function and the development of heart failure. New mechanistic insights are required to identify robust targets for the development of novel strategies to promote regeneration. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled profiling and analysis of the transcriptomes of individual cells at high resolution. Applications of scRNA-seq have generated single-cell atlases for multiple species, revealed distinct cellular compositions for different regions of the heart, and defined multiple mechanisms involved in myocardial injury-induced regeneration. In this review, we summarise findings from studies of healthy and injured hearts in multiple species and spanning different developmental stages. Based on this transformative technology, we propose a multi-species, multi-omics, meta-analysis framework to drive the discovery of new targets to promote cardiovascular regeneration.

Cardiac MRI-Derived Inferior Vena Cava Cross-Sectional Area Correlates with Measures of Fontan-Associated Liver Disease

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Abstract

There is currently no clear consensus on screening techniques to evaluate the presence or severity of Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). Cardiac MRI (CMR) is used routinely for post-Fontan surveillance, but CMR-derived measures that relate to the severity of FALD are not yet defined. This was a cross-sectional single-center study of post-Fontan patients who underwent a CMR. CMR exams were re-analyzed by a single pediatric cardiologist. Surrogates of FALD included Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), Fibrosis-4 laboratory score (FIB-4), and imaging findings. Findings consistent with cirrhosis on liver ultrasound included increased liver echogenicity and/or nodularity. Statistical analyses were performed to investigate potential relationships between CMR parameters and markers of FALD. Sixty-one patients were included. A larger inferior vena cava cross-sectional area (IVC-CSA) indexed to height was significantly associated with a higher FIB-4 score (Spearman’s ρ = 0.28, p = 0.04), a higher GGT level (Spearman’s ρ = 0.40, p = 0.02), and findings consistent with cirrhosis on liver ultrasound (OR 1.17, 95% CI: (1.01, 1.35), p = 0.04). None of the other CMR parameters were associated with markers of FALD. A larger indexed IVC-CSA was associated with higher systemic ventricle end-diastolic pressure (EDP) on cardiac catheterization (Spearman’s ρ = 0.39, p = 0.018) as well as older age (Spearman’s ρ = 0.46, p =  < 0.001). Indexed IVC-CSA was the only CMR parameter that was associated with markers of FALD. This measure has the potential to serve as an additional non-invasive tool to improve screening strategies for FALD.

Graphic Abstract

Visual abstract summarizing the primary findings of this paper

Evaluation of the Early Effects of Childhood Asthma and Its Treatment on Cardiac Function as Revealed by Two-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography

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Abstract

There is minimal information available regarding the early effects of bronchial asthma (BA) and its treatment on cardiac function in children. We used two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) to evaluate cardiac function before and after the treatment of childhood BA. We enrolled 44 children with moderate and severe BA who had not been treated over the preceding 3 months or who were newly diagnosed. All children received the same treatment (that recommended by the Global Initiative for Asthma [GINA] in 2017). All children also underwent transthoracic 2D-STE before treatment and 6 months later. Clinical data were compared before and after treatment. After treatment, significant increases were evident in right ventricular (RV) systolic and diastolic strain, as well as the systolic strain rate. Before and after treatment, the RV global longitudinal systolic strains were − 22.8 ± 3.6 and − 25.1 ± 4.5, respectively (p = 0.036); the RV global longitudinal diastolic strains were − 18.5 ± 6.0 and − 21.5 ± 5.2, respectively (p = 0.038); and the RV systolic strain rates were − 1.26 ± 0.4 and − 1.12 ± 0.3, respectively (p = 0.025). After treatment, significant increases were observed in the right atrial (RA) peak longitudinal strain and strain rate. Before and after treatment, the RA peak atrial longitudinal strains were 32.5 ± 10.8 and 44.7 ± 11.2, respectively (p = 0.042) and the RA longitudinal strain rates were − 1.6 ± 0.3 and − 2.0 ± 0.5, respectively (p = 0.041). RV and RA subclinical dysfunction may develop in children with early-stage BA. However, asthma treatment appears to improve such dysfunction. In children with BA, clinical and subclinical changes in cardiac functions can be easily detected via 2D-STE.

ESR Essentials: ten steps to cardiac MR—practice recommendations by ESCR

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Abstract

Cardiovascular MR imaging has become an indispensable noninvasive tool in diagnosing and monitoring a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. Key to its clinical success and efficiency are appropriate clinical indication triage, technical expertise, patient safety, standardized preparation and execution, quality assurance, efficient post-processing, structured reporting, and communication and clinical integration of findings. Technological advancements are driving faster, more accessible, and cost-effective approaches. This ESR Essentials article presents a ten-step guide for implementing a cardiovascular MR program, covering indication assessments, optimized imaging, post-processing, and detailed reporting. Future goals include streamlined protocols, improved tissue characterization, and automation for greater standardization and efficiency.

Clinical relevance statement

The growing clinical role of cardiovascular MR in risk assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning highlights the necessity for radiologists to achieve expertise in this modality, advancing precision medicine and healthcare efficiency.

Key Points

• Cardiovascular MR is essential in diagnosing and monitoring many acute and chronic cardiovascular pathologies.

• Features such as technical expertise, quality assurance, patient safety, and optimized tailored imaging protocols, among others, are essential for a successful cardiovascular MR program.

• Ongoing technological advances will push rapid multi-parametric cardiovascular MR, thus improving accessibility, patient comfort, and cost-effectiveness.

Key Points

• Cardiovascular MR is essential in diagnosing and monitoring a wide array of cardiovascular pathologies (Level of Evidence: High).

• A successful cardiovascular MR program depends on standardization (Level of Evidence: Low).

• Future developments will increase the efficiency and accessibility of cardiovascular MR (Level of Evidence: Low).

Culturally based learning needs of Korowai students in a lowland-remote area of Indonesian Papua: school physical environment and building design

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Abstract

This study explored the culturally based learning needs of Korowai students living in a lowland-remote area in Papua to address the question of how education in this part of Indonesia could be inclusive and engaging for indigenous students and their community. Case study was selected as it has potential to reveal detailed structured information and in-depth description of people and their experiences within a particular location, time and socio-political circumstance. The case study school was purposively chosen, due to its uniqueness of being situated in a remote, hunter-gatherer community that only recently began to modernise. School physical environment and building design was one of the identified themes that emerged in the case study school. This theme included some sub-themes, namely (1) the school building design, (2) forest as the school’s physical environment, and (3) school garden and animal husbandry. The Korowai students brought social and cultural capital and expectations to their local school that differed from those of traditional Indonesian school expectations and presented different learning needs. How the local school and teachers responded to these varied expectations and learning needs also differed and revealed further needs for differentiation in education. These points of differentiation include needs in their physical environment: to build some classrooms in the style of Korowai treehouse dwellings and to replant forest and food trees close to the school to provide students with a sense of cultural connection and school belonging.

A differentiated approach to Indigenous pedagogies: addressing gaps in teachers’ knowledge

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Abstract

Acknowledging Australian Indigenous cultural diversity involves respecting local Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. This can be difficult for teachers who do not know about Indigenous people and their knowledge. The Differentiated Indigenous Pedagogies project evaluated digitally available information describing Indigenous in this paper, ‘Indigenous’ will be used when referring to First Nations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, pedagogies, policies, and institutional contexts in Australia apart from references used which use other terminology. The authors acknowledge the contested nature of terminology and use the term ‘Indigenous’ as it is consistent with the title of the research project on which this article is based pedagogies in the Northern Territory. The purpose was to consolidate findings to increase positive intercultural actions in the wider education community. An important aspect of the project is addressing gaps in western, non-Indigenous teacher knowledge pertinent to the diversity within Indigenous language groups and regions. Through searching for available Indigenous pedagogies as a teacher might, we found information differs in description and levels of relationality. Pedagogies are presented in numerous ways which complicates teachers’ cultural understandings. Common themes from search results and Indigenist educational research are used to define ways teachers can actively engage in more respectful, relational, and reconciliatory ways to develop a differentiated approach for themselves to use when working with Indigenous pedagogies.

Was COVID-19 an unexpected catalyst for more equitable learning outcomes? A comparative analysis after two years of disrupted schooling in Australian primary schools

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Abstract

By the end of 2021, more than 168 million students across the globe had missed a year of face-to-face schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In NSW, Australia, most students engaged in learning from home for eight weeks during 2020 and a further 14 weeks during 2021. This study provides robust empirical evidence on how two years of disruptions to schooling affected student learning. Drawing on matched data for 3,827 Year 3 and 4 students from 101 NSW government schools, this paper compares student achievement growth in mathematics and reading for 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (second year of the pandemic) student cohorts. While overall there was no significant difference between cohorts, when analysed by socio-educational advantage, we were surprised to find that students in the lowest band achieved approximately three months’ additional growth in mathematics. Arguably, grave concerns about the potentially dire impact of COVID-19 on the learning of disadvantaged students were met by investments that made a difference. We argue that targeted funding and system-wide initiatives to support more equitable outcomes should remain a priority after the pandemic if Australia is to meet its aspirations for excellence and equity.

The Bio-moral Politics of Semen

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Abstract

The article focuses on the bio-moral politics of semen in India. By engaging with religious, ascetic, scientific, and medical discourses on semen in the context of India, it emphasises that semen and the regimes of its control were shaped by complex discourses on health, immortality, and modern politico-medical notions of immunity. Based on sociohistorical and ethnographic perspectives, the article is an exploration of the modern scientific turn to semen in the course of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and how the politics of Indian (Hindu) nationalism enmeshed science, morality, and politics into a biopolitics of semen control. Based on my ethnographic fieldwork in the bayam samitis (traditional gymnasiums) and akharas (places of wrestling) of Kolkata, India, at present, I argue that the bio-moral politics of semen continues to remain entangled with the constitution of the virile and potent body of men and their national and community identities, sexuality, masculinity, health, and fitness with the help of songjom (self-restraint) exercised over masturbatory practices, diet, and night emissions. I conclude the article with the possibility to further think about the relation between the concepts of immortality and immunity that constitute masculine health based on the cultivation of a potent body through embodied practices of bayam (exercise), healthy diet, and semen control.