Local Issues Research Articles

Beyond antibiotics: mesenchymal stem cells and bacteriophages-new approaches to combat bacterial resistance in wound infections.

Wound management is a major global health problem. With the rising incidence of diabetic wounds, accidents, and other injuries, the demand for prompt wound treatment has become increasingly critical. Millions of people suffer from serious, large wounds resulting from major accidents, surgeries, and wars. These wounds require considerable time to heal and are susceptible to infection. Furthermore, chronic wounds, particularly in elderly and diabetic patients, often require frequent medical interventions to prevent complications. Consequently, wound management imposes a significant economic burden worldwide. The complications arising from wound infections can vary from localized issues to systemic effects. The most severe local complication of wound infection is the non-healing, which results from the disruption of the wound-healing process. This often leads to significant pain, discomfort, and psychological trauma for the patient. Systemic complications may include cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and septicemia. Mesenchymal stem cells are characterized by their high capacity for division, making them suitable candidates for the treatment of tissue damage. Additionally, they produce antimicrobial peptides and various cytokines, which enhance their antimicrobial activity. Evidence shows that phages are effective in treating wound-related infections, and phage therapy has proven to be highly effective for patients when administered correctly. The purpose of this article is to explore the use of bacteriophages and mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing and infection management.

Analyzing Food Security Scales: Evidence and Methods in the FAO Context

Food security remains a critical global challenge, necessitating robust and precise measurement tools to effectively address and mitigate issues of hunger and malnutrition. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has introduce a range of metrics and methodologies to assess food security across different regions and populations. This comprehensive review aims to analyze the current evidence and methodologies used in the FAO context to measure food security, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This review synthesizes data from numerous peer-reviewed studies, reports, and FAO publications, focusing on the period from 2000 to 2023. These tools are examined in terms of their conceptual frameworks, measurement techniques, data collection methods, and practical applications in diverse settings. The FIES, introduce by FAO in collaboration with the Voices of the Hungry project, offers a direct estimate of food insecurity based on individuals' experiences. This scale has been widely adopted due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ability to provide comparable data across different contexts. he study's findings might be limited by the fact that participants reported their own experiences, which could be influenced by cultural norms or a tendency to answer in a way that is socially acceptable. Despite, these challenges, the FIES remains a valuable tool for monitoring food insecurity trends globally. The GFSI, produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit with support from FAO, provides a comprehensive measure of food security by integrating data on affordability, availability, quality, and safety of food. This index is beneficial for its broad scope and ability to highlight underlying factors affecting food security. Nonetheless, the GFSI faces criticism for its heavy reliance on secondary data sources, which may not always be up-to-date or accurately reflect on-the-ground realities. Furthermore, the index’s focus on national-level data may overlook intra-country disparities and localized food insecurity issues. The IPC, another key FAO tool, categories the severity and magnitude of food insecurity in different regions, providing a standardized approach to assess and compare food security situations. The IPC's strength lies in its multi-dimensional nature, incorporating various indicators such as food consumption, livelihood changes, and nutritional status. However, its complexity and resource-intensive nature can pose challenges for consistent implementation, particularly in resource-limited settings. The systematic review highlights that while FAO's food security scales offer valuable insights, there is room for enhancement. Combining qualitative and quantitative data, improving the timeliness and accuracy of data collection, and incorporating more localized assessments can strengthen these tools. Additionally, integrating new technologies such as remote sensing and mobile data collection can further improve the precision and efficiency of food security measurements.

Misrepresentation or inclusion: promises of generative artificial intelligence in climate change education

ABSTRACT Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, including large language models (LLMs) that can generate novel text output, present promise for creating tailored science communication for broad audiences. However, LLMs might reflect inaccuracies and social biases from their training sources. In this work, we examine the promises and challenges of using LLMs to depict climate issues from intersectional perspectives. We prompt an LLM (GPT-4) to generate content about localized climate issues and simulate different communication mediums and intersectional identities. We conduct content analysis of the responses, drawing from Intersectional Climate Justice and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies frameworks. Findings suggest that the LLM-created responses can restate climate justice principles in the prompts and do not frequently show inaccuracy. However, they may lack elaboration, show deficit framing, and overlook identity aspects. We discuss suggestions from critical education research, to question the assumptions underlying AI technologies and explore ways to promote inclusive climate education.

CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN TEACHING CHEMISTRY IN UKRAINE DURING WARTIME

The education sector, which is one of the most important aspects of public life, has undergone critical changes due to the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine. Educators and students have been forced to a rapid shift from traditional to digital learning methods. Chemical education has adapted to the new reality by using a number of digital platforms, virtual laboratories, and other IT tools for distant learning. These innovative educational technologies have become particularly useful in chemistry teaching, where interactive tools help replace hands-on experiments in wartime circumstances, where access to traditional laboratories is unsafe or impossible. However, the transition to digital learning in Ukraine during the current period not only has complexities on its own, but is also accompanied by significant challenges caused by war conditions, including power shortages, limited Internet access, and digital inequality, especially in war-torn and rural areas. The issues of digital literacy, content localization, cybersecurity, and students’ and educators’ psychological well-being present further complications. Developing and expanding access to relevant, localized chemistry educational content will be essential to closing the education gap and maintaining long-term sustainability. In the post-war period, it is appropriate to implement a blended learning model that combines digital tools with offline laboratories, which is critical for sustainable recovery, promoting community rebuilding, developing practical student skills, and the sustainability of the Ukrainian education system in general.

Spatial assessment of land use and land cover change impacts on groundwater recharge and groundwater level: A case study of the Hat Yai basin

Study regionHat Yai Basin, Thailand. Study focusThis study aimed to assess the impacts of land use and land cover changes on groundwater recharge and groundwater levels—specifically, the effects of increasing built-up areas and urban expansion. The MOLUSCE (plug-in QGIS) software was used to analyze land use and land cover changes. The groundwater recharge estimation in this study was conducted using the WetSpass model, and the groundwater level was simulated using MODFLOW. New hydrological insights for the regionThe findings indicate that the Hat Yai basin has experienced its highest increase in built-up areas and found a decrease in the average recharge rate for 2017 compared to 2007. Correspondingly, a simulation of groundwater levels indicates that the overall groundwater level has decreased. Spatially, the Hat Yai district, which exhibited the highest increase in built-up areas, experienced a decrease in groundwater levels. In contrast, the Khuan Niang district, which had the largest increase in perennial areas, demonstrated increased groundwater levels. The findings show that increasing built-up areas decreases the recharge rate, consequently lowering groundwater levels. The spatial assessment is proved to be more effective in illustrating positive and negative impacts than the basin's overall average. Such spatial assessment is valuable for water resource management planning and addressing localized water resource issues that may differ across various areas.

TOA based mobile source localization with unknown start transmission time and sensor position uncertainty in asynchronous networks

ABSTRACT This letter addresses the issue of mobile source localization using time of arrival (TOA) measurements in scenarios where the source and sensors are not synchronized, and the start transmission time is unknown. We propose a non-convex weighted least squares (WLS) minimization problem for estimating the source position, velocity and start transmission time from the distance measurement equation, without the need for Taylor approximation commonly used in traditional processing approaches. To effectively solve the non-convex WLS optimization problem, we use the semi-positive definite relaxation (SDR) technique to transform the original problem into a convex semi-positive definite programming (SDP) problem. Additionally, we further extend the proposed method to scenarios where the positions of sensors are uncertain. Computer simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method surpasses the existing methods, whether the positions of sensors are known or uncertain.

Examining local action groups as territorial development polities: CLLD in Lisbon Metropolitan Area

ABSTRACT Over the past three decades, Local Action Groups (LAGs) have gained significant relevance as territorial development polities. Initially established in the 1990s under the LEADER programme, EU-funded LAGs were lauded for their ability to engage local stakeholders, promote proactivity, and build capacity for designing and implementing Local Development Strategies (LDS). With the introduction of the Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) policy initiative in the 2014–2020 Community Support Framework, the geographical scope of LAGs expanded beyond rural and coastal to include urban areas. However, there is a standing critique regarding the role and impact of LAGs in creating spatial-temporal fixes, addressing local issues through innovative governance arrangements, and facilitating multi-level interaction and territorial rescaling. This paper focuses on the Lisbon Metropolitan Area to critically examine these aspects amidst ongoing Europeanisation dynamics and a soft turn in planning theory and practices. Specifically, we scrutinize LAGs’ strategic territorial rationale, cultural adherence, institutionalization, and the intra – and inter-politics of their governance arrangements. The findings indicate limitations in governance rescaling due to the instrumentalization, over-centralization, and standardization of LAGs by external powers, which hinder their potential role and impact as territorial development polities and agents of state re-articulation.

“Sukul Bhoj” a Newar feast: indigenous ways of knowing, doing, and living for ecological sustainability

ABSTRACT “Sukul Bhoj” is the feast organized by the Newars, an indigenous community of Nepal. It has a unique contribution to the ecological, health, and financial aspects, which is now shadowed by the buffet and party system, as people these days find it difficult and feel outdated to organize such a traditional feast. Hence, this paper subscribed to narrative inquiry through Vygotsky’s social constructivist approach to explore and access the cultural values, tools, and techniques used in Sukul Bhoj and its contribution to the ecological, health, and financial aspects. The participants were two Newar community leaders. The findings revealed that “Sukul Bhoj” is a significant step toward addressing global and local issues like environmental degradation, health issues, economic crises, and the loss of cultural identity. Finally, this study concluded that integrating indigenous knowledge and contextualizing the pedagogical practice helps develop 21st-century skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration among the learners.

Polarization in police union politics

AbstractAlthough most local elections are officially nonpartisan, a debate exists regarding how much ideology matters in local politics. I test the effects of national polarization toward policing at the local level using a conjoint survey experiment and novel observational data. I find that police union endorsements send clear ideological signals about mayoral candidates to voters and voters respond accordingly: liberal (conservative) respondents are significantly less (more) likely to vote for police union‐endorsed candidates. I create a new dataset of police union endorsements in every mayoral election in American cities with populations above 180,000 between 2011 and 2022. I find police union endorsements have significant negative effects on incumbent vote share in liberal cities at the same time as polarization occurs nationally. This evidence suggests that when national politics polarize on a local issue, ideology becomes an important component in local politics and that police union endorsements now inform about local candidate ideology.

Harnessing prompt-based large language models for disaster monitoring and automated reporting from social media feedback

In recent years, social media has emerged as one of the main platforms for real-time reporting of issues during disasters and catastrophic events. While great strides have been made in collecting such information, there remains an urgent need to improve user reports’ automation, aggregation, and organization to streamline various tasks, including rescue operations, resource allocation, and communication with the press. This paper introduces an innovative methodology that leverages the power of prompt-based Large Language Models (LLMs) to strengthen disaster response and management. By analyzing large volumes of user-generated content, our methodology identifies issues reported by citizens who have experienced a disastrous event, such as damaged buildings, broken gas pipelines, and flooding. It also localizes all posts containing references to geographic information in the text, allowing for aggregation of posts that occurred nearby. By leveraging these localized citizen-reported issues, the methodology generates insightful reports full of essential information for emergency services, news agencies, and other interested parties. Extensive experimentation on large datasets validates the accuracy and efficiency of our methodology in classifying posts, detecting sub-events, and producing real-time reports. These findings highlight the practical value of prompt-based LLMs in disaster response, emphasizing their flexibility and adaptability in delivering timely insights that support more effective interventions.

Media Literacy Skills for Promoting Sustainable Development in Rivers State

The study examined media literacy skills for promoting sustainable development in Rivers State. Three research questions guided the study. The study anchored on information literacy theory. The survey research design was adopted using a sample of 167 respondents drawn from a population of 278 lecturers in the four departments of Communication, film and media studies using proportionate sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire which was validated by experts and used for data gathering. The reliability of the instrument was established at 0.82 using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient (PPMC). The study found amongst others that critical and analytical thinking, digital literacy, environmental literacy, cultural and social awareness, and collaborative communication are media literacy skills needed for promoting sustainable development. The study concluded that media literacy and education can potentially empower the citizens to be able to critically analyze and evaluate media messages, be better informed, engage, and be proactive in addressing both local and global issues that can bring about sustainable development in Rivers State. Media literacy skills were essential for the citizens to be well informed on the various types of media outlets and their roles in promoting sustainable development in Rivers State-Nigeria. The study recommended amongst others that Policymakers and curriculum planners begin to think along the lines of integrating media literacy into the school curriculum. This will help students develop a holistic understanding of media and its impact on society.

The Utilization of Maps in Geographic Citizen Science: A Preliminary Analysis of Usability and User Experience Issues and Opportunities

The rapid proliferation of geospatial technologies and the widespread utilization of Web and mobile maps by nonexpert audiences spurred new perspectives and research paradigms within geography. One area affected by this transformation is citizen science, where geospatial technologies facilitated its more widespread use and revolutionized the way scientific knowledge is coproduced, especially in the environmental context. Geographic citizen science is widely used to support the collection and analysis of geolocated scientific data, extend existing geographic data coverage, and enable communities to address local issues. The inherent complexity of geospatial interfaces and data is widely recognized and there is a wealth of geographic research focusing on improving human–map interactions, with less emphasis, nevertheless, given to citizen science. Not only do these applications have their unique characteristics, but inclusiveness is paramount, which further adds to these complexities. Through an investigation of 229 geographic citizen science applications, we provide an overview of how geographic interfaces are currently employed in citizen science. We then evaluate a selection of applications to identify critical usability barriers, which might have a detrimental impact on the overall user experience and the success of these projects. Among others, we found that geographic citizen science applications need to better support visual thinking and leverage participants’ geographic knowledge. We subsequently provide a set of recommendations for map design and functionality and identify opportunities for future geovisualization research.

Confluency: Development of an Interactive Mobile Art Exhibit and Resource on Water Justice in South Africa and Canada.

Water justice-equitable, reliable access to clean, sufficient water, and the knowledge and mechanisms related to its management-is a key global social justice and environmental issue. Cape Town, South Africa, is an important context to explore water justice due to its 2018 water crisis. Water scarcity intersects with other issues, including health disparities, food insecurity, and gender inequity, in turn requiring citizen engagement in water-related issues and knowledge sharing to produce sustainable, contextually relevant solutions. The arts are powerful tools for citizen engagement and knowledge sharing and translation in research, as well as social and environmental action. In this Resources, Frameworks, and Perspectives article, we outline the methods and lessons learned from developing Confluency, an arts-based exhibit and resource that aimed to generate and share knowledge on water justice issues between academics, practitioners, artists, and activists in Canada and South Africa. We detail the methods used to develop the Confluency exhibit and resource, including preparing the art exhibit framework, facilitating art workshops, designing interactive stations, and implementing the interactive art exhibit. Lessons learned are shared from implementing Confluency in diverse South African and Canadian settings. These case studies signal that the methodological approaches used in designing and implementing this exhibit and resource hold promise for providing opportunities to reflect on, and learn about, global and local water justice issues. This resource could be expanded to engage communities in research, policy, and practices regarding water justice in other diverse global settings to advance health, equity, and rights.

Revealing the Effect of Ce on Pitting Corrosion Induced by Inclusions in Low Alloy Steel: Induction by CaS·C12A7 and Inhibition by CeAlO3.

Low alloy steel faces localized corrosion issues in service environments, primarily due to pitting corrosion induced by inclusions. Conventional protective measures cannot significantly improve the corrosion resistance of the steel. In this study, an effective industrial approach was proposed to enhance the corrosion resistance of low alloy steels. Cerium (Ce) was added during the refining process to modify inclusions and alter the mechanism of inclusion-induced localized corrosion, thereby improving the substrate's ability to inhibit pitting corrosion. The effect of Ce treatment on the cleanliness of molten steel was investigated, and a kinetic model of inclusion evolution was established based on thermodynamic calculations. The pitting corrosion induced by CaS·C12A7 and CeAlO3 inclusions was studied through immersion experiments over different durations. The degree of corrosion after being soaked for 20 min was significantly different. The size and depth of pitting pits induced by CeAlO3 inclusions were much smaller than those induced by CaS·C12A7 inclusions. The electron back scatter diffraction tests confirmed that CaS·C12A7 inclusions exhibited a higher corrosion sensitivity compared to CeAlO3, thus promoting the initiation of pitting. Electrochemical tests demonstrated a positive shift in the corrosion potential and a reduction in current density. This implies that CeAlO3 inclusions can significantly inhibit pitting occurrences. Based on the dissolution behaviors of CaS·C12A7 and CeAlO3 inclusions, a kinetic model was established to describe the initiation and propagation of pitting induced by these inclusions.

Topology optimization framework of multiple-phase materials with stress and dynamic constraints under self-weight loads

This work aims to optimize the multi-material structures subjected to self-weight loading for the first time. Ignoring the self-weight loads results in less reliable designs, and to enhance the strength of optimized designs, stress-constrained multi-material topology optimization (MMTO) is considered with body forces. Two stress constraint aggregation schemes are employed and comparable, such as the K-S and p-norm aggregation schemes. Both of these schemes are effective with respect to stress constraints due to local stress issues. Moreover, eigenvalue constraints (MMTO) are introduced in this study with self-weight loading and stress constraints. Thus, the optimized results not only ensure self-weight load criteria but also reduce stress concentration and improve stability due to free vibration of structures. The proposed approach is an alternating-active-phase algorithm (AAPA) for dealing with the problems considered in this work. Results show that the results caused by self-weight loads are totally different from optimized results when they are not considered with self-weight loads using multi-materials.

Russia and the Annexation crisis (1908-1909)

The Balkans remained a nerve-racked space of opposing interests among great powers even after the Berlin Congress of 1878. The behind-the-scenes negotiations and agreements, along with the events that accompanied them and their broader context, have continued to be a lasting and challenging subject of scholarly attention and multiperspective interpretation, considering the extensive historiographical output on the topic. All the “tailors” of the European world knew then that “without a presence in the Balkans, the status of a great European power cannot be maintained” (Čedomir Popov); it is here that status is gained, demonstrated, and lost. The Eastern Question encompassed numerous local issues. The Russian Empire, an important geostrategic factor in global relations, was initially an advocate for maintaining the status quo in the region and treating Bosnia and Herzegovina as a pan-European issue, an object in the politics of great powers. After the Berlin Congress, dissatisfied with its decisions and the further development of the situation, Russia had “left” the Balkans but “returned” to the region following its unsuccessful war with Japan (1904-1905). Russian politicians warned that, given the revolutionary upheavals behind it, this great power needed at least “20 peaceful years” to recover. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dreamed of turning Istanbul into a “neutralized and free city,” albeit “with Russian cannons on the Bosporus.” Petrograd sought to negotiate compensation with Vienna to maintain the balance of power in the Balkans between the two states. Russian Foreign Minister Izvolsky offered his Austro-Hungarian counterpart Erental a “fair agreement” in September 1908 in Buhlau: Bosnia and Herzegovina for access to the straits. This referred to the right of free passage for Russian naval vessels through the Black Sea straits in exchange for Russia's consent to the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Austria-Hungary executed the annexation, but Russia did not gain the consent of the other great powers for the free passage of its ships. During the turbulent annexation crisis, which was preceded by a series of dramatic events and political upheavals in the wider area, Russia was unable to escalate its relations with Austria-Hungary in light of Germany's uncompromising stance. It was weakened by its defeat in the war with Japan, the outbreak of the 1905 revolution, and social upheavals. Regarding the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia faced a choice between a peaceful resolution of the annexation issue or an Austro-Hungarian attack on Serbia. Germany's position, which firmly supported Austria-Hungary, was crucial for easing the crisis. Serbia, according to Russian instructions, had to maintain a peaceful stance, “because war with Austria-Hungary would be suicide for it given that Russia was not ready for war.” The severe crisis of 1908–1909, involving multiple protagonists, ended with a defeat for Russian diplomacy. Russia was forced to recognize the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina six months after its proclamation, and soon Serbia and Montenegro followed suit. The crisis revealed Russia's evident weakness and shattered its unrealistic hopes for equal partnership with Austria-Hungary in the Balkans. Aware of its unfavorable position and the rising domestic resentment over the outcome of the crisis, Russia did not hide its dissatisfaction with the new balance of power in the Balkans. Despite all the blows and threats it faced, it sought to remain within the circle of great powers, as an unavoidable political factor in the Balkans. However, its imperial ambitions were not in line with its actual strengths and capabilities.

Examining cosmopolitan learning among Chinese university students through internationalisation at home

Internationalisation at home (IaH) has gained prominence in higher education, emphasising the cosmopolitan aspects of curricula, teaching, and learning. This case study, grounded in the concept of cosmopolitan learning as a sociological approach, focuses on three dimensions—cosmopolitan engagement, critical reflections on global and local issues, and ethical judgements—made by 23 Chinese university students participating in IaH at a prestigious Chinese university. It explores these students’ cosmopolitan learning experiences through IaH and their gains and learning challenges. The results show that the student participants exhibited more cosmopolitan engagement through the IaH curricula. Cosmopolitan engagement also enabled them to reflect critically on global and local issues, such as inequality in access to cosmopolitan learning resources, the impact of the global social imaginaries, and asymmetrical geo-power relations on the situatedness of knowledge, people, and learning. Accordingly, they made judgements to pursue ethical and meaningful changes. The challenges identified by students in cosmopolitan learning emphasise the need to further develop IaH cosmopolitan curricula to promote equity among diverse students in cosmopolitan learning, support multilingual learning, and empower students through a plural, egalitarian, and critical epistemology in addressing ethical change. Consequently, comprehensive proposals for the construction of cosmopolitan IaH curricula are presented.

City of Pure Water:

This 9th and 10th grade multimodal writing unit takes a place-based approach to argumentative writing. Over ten lessons, students explore a local environmental issue through teacher-curated text sets before working with a partner to create a visual essay arguing for a community-based solution. The unit was originally designed and implemented in an Intensive Reading/English Language Arts combination classroom and aims to support and scaffold diverse learners. The unit is aligned to both 9th-10th Grade Common Core and Florida BEST standards on argumentation and organization. The goal of the unit is to foster students’ abilities to write and develop specific claims in their arguments.

Impacts of Workplace Stress on the Retention of Social Workers: A Qualitative Study

Social work practitioners face a range of issues in the workplace. The pressures can lead to stress and burnout, with increased numbers leaving the workforce leading to challenges in the retention of a skilled and experienced workforce. Stress has increased due to current system pressures and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reports on findings from an explorative UK study exploring local recruitment and retention issues in adult social care from the perspective of practitioners currently working in the South of England. A mixed methods approach was taken. A group of (n = 57) social work practitioners working at two local authorities completed an online questionnaire and (n = 13) were interviewed in-depth. Interviews utilised a semi-structured schedule to collect expanded reflections on issues affecting recruitment and retention. Comments relating to the nature of stress and burnout in social work, impacts of negative perceptions of the profession and possible effects on staff wellbeing discussed by the participants were themed together. Areas of potential positive change to address some of the current concerns expressed by participants, may in turn have a decisive effect on workforce retention.

EU Citizens’ Perception of Risks Posed to the Sustainability of EU Food Security

Food security is a core global sustainability challenge and priority of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Events like COVID-19, extreme weather, and global conflicts have significantly impacted food prices, as evidenced by the FAO food price index rising from 95.1 in 2019 to 143.7 in 2022, heightening EU food security concerns. The European Commission responded with a food supply contingency plan. According to Eurobarometer data, our study shows that EU citizens’ food security concerns vary by demographic, political, and socioeconomic factors. While men prioritize external factors like climate change, women express greater concern for local social issues, including small farm viability. Age influences the concern focus, with younger people worried about agricultural stagnation, and older individuals recalling past economic crises. Education and income also play roles, with educated and wealthier citizens worried about environmental risks, and less educated, poorer individuals more concerned about socioeconomic impacts. Political leanings and urban/rural divides shape concerns, as well as EU policy dissatisfaction, which links to worries over economic vulnerability and nationalism. Effective EU food security policies require understanding complex factors, stakeholder collaboration, and tailored strategies for diverse needs. Our findings suggest the need for EU policies to incorporate demographic nuances, ensuring food security sustainability across socioeconomic and political spectrums.