Cultural Disadvantage Research Articles

Community Discourses of Language Reclamation through Irish Medium Youth Work

ABSTRACT This article presents community discourses of Irish medium youth work (IMYW) in the North of Ireland as a component of a wider community goal of language reclamation. This is a secondary data analysis of interviews conducted by the author which places the findings within the historical context of colonisation and present-day language reclamation efforts. Gaeilge has been the subject of language reclamation efforts in the North of Ireland since the late 1960s with this form of language activism including social and economic activism. This analysis connects the material and cultural disadvantages that young Irish speakers face with a youth work methodology that is grounded in language and community rights as well as social justice. The findings illustrate that despite governmental commitments to Gaeilge, discriminatory views and decisions remain which in turn inspire this growing community in their project of language reclamation in which young people are at the centre.

Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation): Focus on Poverty, India, and Use of a Brain-Based Diagnostic Tool

Mental Retardation as a label has been replaced by several others including Severe Learning Disability in Britain. Intellectual Disability is the most commonly used one. The present report begins with the distinction between genetic factors and cultural-familial conditions such as maternal health and poverty. Assessment of intellectual ability as a diagnostic tool based on a Brain-Based approach to Intelligence is preceded by a brief description of its incidence in India where poverty is a significant cultural disadvantage. Brain- Based Intelligence Test (BBIT) comprising two major cognitive scales –Planning -Executive functions and Information-Integration is presented in a graphic model. This is followed by report an individual case. Record of test results shows a cognitive profile of Mild Intellectual Disability However a clinical examination of the case suggests a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. A case of dual diagnosis.

Application of Advanced Molecular Methods to Study Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis.

Early-onset sepsis (EOS) is a global health issue, considered one of the primary causes of neonatal mortality. Diagnosis of EOS is challenging because its clinical signs are nonspecific, and blood culture, which is the current gold-standard diagnostic tool, has low sensitivity. Commonly used biomarkers for sepsis diagnosis, including C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6, lack specificity for infection. Due to the disadvantages of blood culture and other common biomarkers, ongoing efforts are directed towards identifying innovative molecular approaches to diagnose neonates at risk of sepsis. This review aims to gather knowledge and recent research on these emerging molecular methods. PCR-based techniques and unrestricted techniques based on 16S rRNA sequencing and 16S-23S rRNA gene interspace region sequencing offer several advantages. Despite their potential, these approaches are not able to replace blood cultures due to several limitations; however, they may prove valuable as complementary tests in neonatal sepsis diagnosis. Several microRNAs have been evaluated and have been proposed as diagnostic biomarkers in EOS. T2 magnetic resonance and bioinformatic analysis have proposed potential biomarkers of neonatal sepsis, though further studies are essential to validate these findings.

Enriching cross-sectoral collaboration to foster inclusive cultures in schools: a Model to address the needs of diverse Chilean Students.

Inclusive education involves the interaction of diverse actors from different societal sectors, such as education, health, and policy. Inclusion laws and regulations in Chile are relatively new and have been taken as a regional model. However, the efforts to implement them have revealed some structural difficulties that must be discussed. This conceptual analysis article aims to provide insights to enrich cross-sectoral collaboration to foster inclusive cultures in Chilean schools. Considering the OECD Analytical Framework, which describes a systemic approach, we provide definitions for the critical components of the model and discuss the advances and challenges of current Chilean public policies in this field -including the Chile Crece Contigo and the School Integration Programs (SIP)-, the Chilean education system functioning, the social contexts, and students' needs and supports based on the available evidence. Building from inclusive education literature and previous experiences, we delve into the model to address the needs of students with disabilities, social and cultural disadvantages, students belonging to the indigenous population, and students with a low socioeconomic level to propose action guidelines with a particular focus on integrating inclusive practices at the school level.

학부모 참여적 학교 문화 조성의 ‘교육적’ 효과: 경제･문화적 취약계층 학생을 중심으로

This study emphasizes the role of parental involvement as a valuable school-level resource rather than just a private matter. As previous studies have explored the benefits of parental involvement, this study focuses on a broader view of parental involvement in school education as a shared educational asset for all students. Specifically, this research explores the positive impacts of cultivating a parent-inclusive school culture, with a particular focus on students facing economic and cultural disadvantages. Using South Korean subset of PISA 2018 dataset, this study conducted multi-level logistic regression analysis for 839 students from 169 schools. As a result of the study, this study suggests that actively promoting and supporting parental involvement at school level can help alleviate some of the educational challenges faced by these disadvantaged students. In the context of South Korea, where addressing the educational disparities related to families' economic and cultural backgrounds is a significant societal concern, this study offers valuable insights for future educational reforms.

Digital transformation of ukrainian construction and project enterprises: obstacles and opportunities

The digital transformation of Ukrainian construction and design enterprises represents a multifaceted process characterized by both challenges and prospects. In the midst of a war and many critical changes in the construction industry, Ukrainian construction and design enterprises are at a crossroads, and are trying to figure out whether it is necessary to switch to digital technologies in such difficult times in order to remain competitive. Today, there are a number of complexities associated with the digital transformation of construction and engineering enterprises, so the article examines the obstacles that are encountered. Technological advances are a key imperative for transformation as businesses grapple with the need to adapt to changes that can transform project management and design methodologies. Barriers to change are cost, legislation, experts, compatibility with existing software, awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of VIM, corporate culture, external and internal business processes, the existing management structure and management of enterprises, demand, project scale, technologies, personnel skills, the need for additional training, contract terms and existing industry standards. However, amid the challenges, there are significant opportunities. By exploring the obstacles and opportunities, the paper aims to provide a framework for further research and offer practical insights that can guide businesses in using digital technologies for sustainable growth and competitiveness in the evolving construction and design industry.

Modalități de dezvoltare a abilităților de comunicare la elevii din familii vulnerabile

Within families affected by socio-economic and cultural disadvantage, proper communication situations are infrequent or likely to trigger negative emotional effects. Children growing up in such families are less involved in communicative activities with their parents and may be emotionally inhibited, thus causing mothers to complain about the youngsters’ passivity (Piff, Moskowitz, 2018). Researchers have put forward several methods for preparing parents in disadvantaged families to optimize verbal communication with their children as well as to improve parent-teacher communication. In order to manage the quality of communication in the case of families vulnerable due to socio-economic and cultural disadvantage, pre-school staff, teachers, speech therapists, and school counselors should establish personalized programs meant to develop the communicative abilities of both parents and children

Advances in Cardiac Organoids.

Cardiovascular diseases rank as the leading cause of death worldwide and are a major contributor to disability, posing a significant threat to human health. Organoids offer a partial simulation of the structure and function of the tissue of origin. It is a promising model that can supplement the disadvantages of two-dimensional culture and animal models. Due to the complexity of heart development, the research of cardiac organoids is still maturing. The advancement of technology has helped address certain challenges, but it has also unveiled new issues and complexities. This paper summarizes the application of organoids technology in the cardiovascular field, the common construction methods of cardiac organoids, and the latest progress of cardiac organoids in the fields of disease model construction, cardiac development research, drug research, and regenerative medicine. The future development and challenges of cardiac organoids are also addressed.

For a political conception of multicultural citizenship

Multicultural citizenship has provided a terrific liberal philosophical framework to justify respect for cultural minorities and their fair accommodation in contexts marked by cultural disadvantages. However, the importance it provides to societal culture in order to fulfil individual's autonomy entails a metaphysical aspect (i.e societal culture as an instrumental condition for autonomy) which calls into question the full inclusion of all individuals in multicultural societies. This paper maintains that the conception of citizenship in Multicultural citizenship should be independent of metaphysical assumptions and strengthen in its political underpinnings. Kymlicka's view on citizenship is based on liberal rights and the constitutional recognition of minorities. It does not address the process of citizenship, and how a conception of performative citizenship can be conceived to address claims for recognition in ways that produce legitimate, inclusive and inter-subjectively shared outcomes, especially with regard to an inclusive national identity. Multicultural citizenship provides principled legal modalities to accommodate multicultural societies, but does not clearly address the political modalities supporting such accommodations. It thus entails a danger of a de-politicization of citizenship; and a de-politicized citizenship, is not citizenship anymore. The article tasks to figuring out the political and democratic conditions allowing accommodations to be endorsed by all affected individuals in the name of a common and justified conception of democratic citizenship and inclusive conception of the nation.

Corporate Сulture in Polish and Ukrainian Enterprises in the Context of Digitalization: a Comparative Analysis

Digital transformation is one of the most important trends in modern business. It requires enterprises to change their business processes, management models, and corporate culture. The conditions of digitalization today create new challenges for organizational culture. The article investigates the formation of corporate culture in Polish and Ukrainian enterprises in the context of digitalization, which is an urgent task in the context of modern trends in global business. To achieve the set goal, a variety of research methods were used, such as comparison, observation, systems approach, structural analysis, factor analysis, synthesis method, formalization, and structural-logical generalization. The purpose of the research is to analyze the features of corporate culture of Polish and Ukrainian enterprises in the context of digital transformation. In particular, the research investigated the following: the nature of relationships between employees and managers, management style, risk perception, openness to innovation, the importance of teamwork and personal effectiveness. Key differences in the corporate culture of Polish and Ukrainian transportation and logistics enterprises were established. The advantages and disadvantages of the organizational culture of companies were identified. The main factors affecting the corporate culture of Polish and Ukrainian enterprises have been investigated and summarized. The problems of Ukrainian business in the context of war and the main reasons for the migration of companies abroad have been established and highlighted. Key recommendations for Polish and Ukrainian companies to successfully adapt to digital transformation: invest in digital technologies and infrastructure; develop a digital strategy; empower employees to embrace change; measure and track progress.This study showed that digitalization has both positive and negative impacts on corporate culture. Specifically, among the positive factors, it is worth highlighting the increase in transparency and accessibility of information, the improvement of communication and interaction, and the development of innovation and creativity. Among the negative ones, the increase in stress and burnout, the decrease in personal communication, and the increase in staff turnover. During the study, it was found that digital transformation has a significant impact on corporate culture. It requires companies to adapt to new technologies, changes in ways of working and interacting with customers and employees. Therefore, Polish and Ukrainian companies need to follow these recommendations to improve corporate culture: ensure transparency and accessibility of information; improve communication and collaboration; promote innovation and creativity; provide employee support; provide employee support.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Cute Culture from the Perspective of the Market

This article is mainly from the market’s perspective, and comprehensively analyzes how the cute culture in the modern market originates and develops. This article believes that the cute culture in the modern market mainly originated in Japan. This novel market culture combined with the needs of different fields in the market step by step out of Japan, swept East Asia, and went to the world, which had a wide impact on the market. This impact, this article will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of cute culture from the perspective of two critical participants in the market, the market supplier and the market demander. And given the problems existing in the market of cute culture, it puts forward corresponding suggestions based on the actual situation, and draws a conclusion.

Religiosity as a Factor Supporting Parenting and Its Perceived Effectiveness in Hungarian School Children’s Families

The impact of a family’s socio-economic status on parenting activities has been a thoroughly researched topic. Parental involvement, which refers to parenting that supports school achievement, may be home-based and school-based, as typified by Epstein and Sanders. Earlier findings suggest that a more favorable socioeconomic status results in more active and effective parental involvement. Only a few studies show low-status parents can be more effective, whereby some factor compensates for the negative impact of low status. Our hypothesis is that parents’ self-identified religiosity can reduce the disadvantages arising from the family’s unfavorable socio-economic status. We use data from a survey conducted in 2020 among the parents of fourth-grade Hungarian primary school children, which is geographically and socially representative with a sample size of 1156. Our results show that religiosity has a significant positive influence on parenting activities and their perceived effectiveness, even after controlling for other variables. In addition, our indicator of home-based parental attention in itself is also strongly supportive of parents’ perceived effectiveness in parenting. Our findings suggest that parental religiosity and home-based parental attention are important factors that can make parenting effective despite social and cultural disadvantages.

Current Topics in Dermatophyte Classification and Clinical Diagnosis.

Dermatophytes are highly infectious fungi that cause superficial infections in keratinized tissues in humans and animals. This group of fungi is defined by their ability to digest keratin and encompasses a wide range of species. Classification of many of these species has recently changed due to genetic analysis, potentially affecting clinical diagnosis and disease management. In this review, we discuss dermatophyte classification including name changes for medically important species, current and potential diagnostic techniques for detecting dermatophytes, and an in-depth review of Microsporum canis, a prevalent zoonotic dermatophyte. Fungal culture is still considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing dermatophytosis; however, modern molecular assays have overcome the main disadvantages of culture, allowing for tandem use with cultures. Further investigation into novel molecular assays for dermatophytosis is critical, especially for high-density populations where rapid diagnosis is essential for outbreak prevention. A frequently encountered dermatophyte in clinical settings is M. canis, which causes dermatophytosis in humans and cats. M. canis is adapting to its primary host (cats) as one of its mating types (MAT1-2) appears to be going extinct, leading to a loss of sexual reproduction. Investigating M. canis strains around the world can help elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of this fungi.

Are molecular methods helpful for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection and for the prediction of its antimicrobial resistance?

Infections produced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a spiral Gram-negative bacterium, can cause chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. Antibiotic therapy is the most effective treatment for H. pylori infection at present. However, owing to the increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori strains, it has become a serious threat to human health. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of H. pylori infections and its antibiotic resistance markers is of great significance. Conventional microbiological diagnosis of H. pylori is based on culture; however, successful isolation of H. pylori from gastric biopsy specimens is a challenging task affected by several factors and has limitations in terms of the time of response. To improve conventional methods, some molecular techniques, such as PCR, have been recently used in both invasive and non-invasive H. pylori diagnosis, enabling simultaneous detection of H. pylori and point mutations responsible for frequent antibiotic resistance. The advantages and disadvantages of molecular methods, mainly PCR, versus conventional culture for the H. pylori identification and the detection of antibiotic resistance are discussed. As expected, the combination of both diagnostic methods will lead to the most efficient identification of the H. pylori strains and the resistance patterns.

Development and validation of a Community Resilience Scale for Youth (CRS-Y).

The purpose of this article is to present the development and validation of a Community Resilience Scale for Youth (CRS-Y) among a Portuguese sample of nearly 4000 young people growing up in regions on the border with Spain. The scale was developed for young people to assess their perception of the resilience of regional communities in terms of positive development and purposeful experiences for young people. Resilient communities, under a social ecological approach, are those able to move forward on social change and transformation. This concept is especially remarkable in more challenging contexts such as border regions of mainland Portugal which are characterised by economic, social, educational, and cultural disadvantages while discovering possibilities of resilience through promising local dynamics. A multi-step approach was used to develop this scale of 12-item scale. Items were generated based on an in-depth literature review and research previously conducted with young people in these contexts. The overall sample was randomly divided into two subsamples of 1828 and 1735 young people each. Principal component analysis was performed with one of the subsamples and yielded a three-factor structure, explaining 61.5% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis performed on the second showed good fit indexes. Furthermore, internal consistency of the three proposed components, gauged either by Cronbach's alpha or McDonald's omega, indicated good reliability. Given the results, the CRS-Y is a valid and reliable tool showing adequate psychometric properties. This scale will be useful for schools and policy makers at the local level. Indicators such as the promotion of opportunities to participate and be recognised, collective trust and the promotion of shared values and protection are relevant in assessing regional communities' resilience and informing youth policies.

Historicising inclusion: how science curricular differentiation produced populations of concern in the United States and West Germany (1960s–1980s)

ABSTRACT This article explores how the sorting and separating of pupils into entangled categories of social/cultural disadvantage and disability in the 1960s through the 1980s created populations of concern. Even though the United States and Germany are typically contrasted in their approaches to inclusive education, a new scientisation of the “social” had similar effects in both countries. While inclusion is usually presumed as the opposite of segregation, we examine how distinct curricula – often administered in separate classrooms or schools – became deemed essential to prepare target populations for eventual inclusion. In the United States, demands for desegregation and mainstreaming were met in part with the design of curricula and instructional strategies for populations marked by categories of disability and/or cultural disadvantage. In West Germany, similar pedagogies appeared in materials designed for special and lower-track schools aimed at pupils classified as learning disabled and/or socio-culturally disadvantaged. Drawing on archival analysis of research journals, reports, and curricular materials from both countries, we examine how science pedagogies constituted social/cultural disadvantage and/or disability as a type of learner with limited experiences requiring compensation and emotional needs requiring affective calibration. Similar practices produced these populations of concern, enclosing them in a pre-scholastic intervention space and prescribing targeted strategies as necessary for their integration as healthy, responsible citizens. At stake is understanding how curricular differentiation directed to previously excluded groups can generate new subdivisions of the social – authorising separate (and unequally positioned) instruction in the name of inclusion.

Strategy for embryo transfer to improve pregnancy outcomes in advanced maternal age.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to optimize the transplantation strategy for women of advanced maternal age to achieve live births within the shortest time. Data were collected from patients older than 40 years who underwent assisted reproductive therapy at our centre from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2019. In total, 1023 cases of fresh cleavage embryo transfer (CET) cycles, 280 cases of frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles, and 26 cases of frozen-thawed CET (FCET) cycles were included. The main outcome was the live birth rate (LBR). The secondary outcomes were the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and neonatal outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for confounding factors. The blastocyst formation rate of patients older than 40 years was 23.5%, the freezing cycle rate was 19.8%, and the fresh-embryo transfer rate was 83.0%. The implantation rate, CPR, and LBR were significantly different among the CET, FCET, and FBT groups. There were no significant differences in multiple pregnancies and abortion rates among the groups, and neonatal outcomes were similar. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with the CET group, LBR did not increase in the FCET group, whereas LBR increased in the FBT group. For patients older than 40 years when having approximately eight embryos after fertilization, blastocyst transfer can be considered after fully discussing the advantages and disadvantages of blastocyst culture. Alternatively, CET can be performed first, followed by FBT if the cleavage embryo transfer is unsuccessful.

Designing Maker initiatives for educational inclusion

The “Maker” movement is a cultural as well as educational phenomenon that has the potential to offer significant opportunities to students in conditions of social, economic and cultural disadvantage. The research reported in this paper, however, suggests that the simple provision of “Maker Spaces” for such activity is simplistic and not sufficient to realise this potential. The research involved a mixed methods study of a cohort of year 7 students (n = 26) in an Australian school located in a socio-economically disadvantaged outer-metropolitan region. The cohort undertook a range of Maker activities at a new “creativity centre” built at the school. Results indicate that the activities had positive impact on student attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) overall, but that the impact was highly specific across attitudinal constructs. A strong ranging effect was also evident, suggesting that the impact of the experience was highly dependent on students’ initial attitudes. Reflecting on these results, the paper also offers a reference framework that may help keep equity in mind when designing different kinds of Maker experience.

Monocarboxylate transporter 1-mediated lactate accumulation promotes nucleus pulposus degeneration under hypoxia in a 3D multilayered nucleus pulposus degeneration model.

During intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), due to endplate calcification, diminished oxygen and nutrient concentrations and accumulated lactate are present in the microenvironment of the nucleus pulposus (NP). The disadvantages of 3D layered culture include uneven oxygen and nutrient gradients. In the present study, to mimic the in vivo microenvironment of the NP, a 5-layered 3D culture was constructed using clinical haemostatic gelatine sponges and developed as a NP degeneration (NPD) model. Subsequently, cell distribution as well as expression of NP chondrogenic markers (type II collagen and aggrecan), glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and degeneration markers [e.g. matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3] were measured from the top to the bottom layer. However, in a single NP-cell-loaded disc model, the chondrogenic potency in the middle or bottom layer was higher than that in the top layer. To further study the mechanism underlying the degeneration of NP cells in this NPD model, the contribution of secreted metabolites was examined. Lactate identified in the supernatant modulated GAG accumulation and MMP3 expression. Inhibition of lactate influx by the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)-1 inhibitor, AZD3965, reversed the effect of lactate on GAG accumulation and MMP3 expression and further improved NP cell degeneration in the NPD model. Thanks to the homogenous expression of lactate in the model, it was possible to further identified that the combination of lactate and hypoxia enhanced MMP3 expression. Taken together, multilayered cell-loaded sponges, with oxygen and nutrient gradients as well as lactate accumulation, can represent a 3D multilayered NPD model for exploring potential agents for IVDD.

POS-186 POPULATION KIDNEY HEALTH

Introduction: Statistical data extracted from national databases demonstrate a continuous growth in the incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the ineffectiveness of current policies and strategies based on individual risk factors to reduce them, as well as their mortality and costs. In contrast, new forms of kidney disease of unknown etiology affected populations in developing countries and underrepresented minorities, who face socioeconomic and cultural disadvantages.