Research Reports Research Articles

The Impact of Cooperative Storytelling Strategy on the Learner’s Speaking Proficiency

Acquiring speaking abilities has consistently been a significant challenge for language learners. The cooperative storytelling approach is a novel pedagogical method to enhance learners’ speaking skills by fostering improved learning experiences. Hence, the primary objective of this research is to examine the influence of the cooperative storytelling approach on enhancing the speaking skills of learners. A study was conducted at Bagong Nayon II National High School, involving 15 Grade 9 students, to determine the effects of a cooperative storytelling technique on reading skills. Researchers acquired the data included in this study from both the pretest and post-test. The findings indicated a discernible enhancement in students’ oral ability after integrating the cooperative storytelling approach. Cooperative storytelling enhanced comprehension, expanded vocabulary, improved grammar, and refined speech skills among the participants. Therefore, a suitable storytelling technique can improve students’ oral communication abilities. Conversely, cooperative storytelling might enhance learners’ speaking skills by fostering self-regulated learning, interaction, motivation, and achievement. Therefore, this research report offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and students regarding effectively implementing a cooperative storytelling technique to enhance speaking proficiency across different educational levels. Hence, it is imperative to consider the significance of verbal communication in the context of learning and growth. It necessitates carefully examining its application in educational settings to foster increased chances for oral language practice. Such endeavors are crucial in promoting students’ cognitive development and should be actively promoted and pursued.

The role of systemic statins in the inception and healing of apical periodontitis: a systematic review

ObjectivesStatins are a category of medications widely used to reduce plasma LDL-cholesterol levels, that also possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory action.The aim of this systematic review was to explore the effects of systemic statins therapy on the development and treatment of apical periodontitis (AP) on humans and animals.Material and methodsThree electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) and grey literature were searched from their inception until February, 20 2023 (PROSPERO CRD42021246231). For the quality assessment and risk of bias, different guidelines were used according to the typology of the studies considered (Animal Research Reporting of In Vivo Experiments, Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Form for Cohort Studies, Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation Risk of Bias tool and Tool to assess risk of bias in cohort studies of CLARITY Group).ResultsSeven hundred eleven records were screened, and six articles were included for this qualitative review. The eligible studies showed a moderate overall quality and risk of bias. Human patients in treatment with statins exhibited a higher healing rate of AP following root canal treatment. In experimental animal models, statins had a beneficial effect on the development of AP.ConclusionsDespite the limited number of studies and considering that most of them are on animals, our findings suggest that systemically administered statins make a positive contribution to prevent the development and help healing of AP.Clinical relevanceThere is an increased evidence that a pharmacologic adjunct to endodontic treatment may be considered to enhance healing of AP. Among other medications, statins seem to have a positive impact on the disease.

Overview of Issues in Autism Intervention Research: Research Design and Reporting

Purpose: Neurodiversity-affirming practices for people with autism need to be backed by rigorous evidence of effectiveness. We discuss aspects of research design and reporting in autism intervention research that should be considered by intervention providers when providing evidence-based practices to support people with autism. We describe risks of bias, which are features of the study design that make it more likely that ineffective interventions will show evidence of effectiveness; social validation, which are procedures that determine community members' views on the intervention goals, procedures, and outcomes; the design of intervention outcome variables, including the extent to which they index lasting, meaningful change; adverse event monitoring and reporting, which is the extent to which researchers track and transparently communicate negative events that occur during or after participation in the intervention; and conflicts of interest (COIs), which are relationships held by the researcher that could result in positive researcher benefits for showing particular outcomes in their studies. We discuss several systematic reviews and evaluations of autism intervention literature that have explored the extent to which researchers have adhered to ethical guidelines around each of these issues. Conclusions: Risks of bias are prevalent in this literature, social validation is rarely rigorously conducted, and positive intervention outcomes tend to index narrow, specific change. Additionally, researchers rarely monitor or report adverse events despite evidence that they occur, and they often fail to disclose COIs or falsely claim not to have them. Clinicians and researchers should be aware of these features of autism intervention studies, so that they can make informed decisions as new, and hopefully improved, research is produced.

A comparison of ethnocentrism and global citizenship attitudes among Kuwaiti education students

ABSTRACT This study examined the level of and relationship between ethnocentrism and global citizenship attitudes among 346 undergraduate education students at a university in Kuwait. Ethnocentrism was measured using the General Ethnocentrism Scale (GENE) developed by (Neuliep, J. W., and J. C. McCroskey. 1998. “The Development of a U.S. and Generalized Ethnocentrism Scale.” Communication Research Reports 14 (4): 385–398; Neuliep, J. W., and J. C. McCroskey. 2013. “Ethnocentrism Scale.” Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Sciences. https://www.midss.org/sites/default/files/ethnocentrism_scale.pdf) and global citizenship was measured using the Global Citizenship Scale by (Morais, D. B., and A. C. Ogden. 2011. “Initial Development and Validation of the Global Citizenship Scale.” Journal of Studies in International Education 15 (5): 445–466), both of which were translated into Arabic. No significant correlation was found between the two scales overall, but there were significant correlations between some of the subscales. Specifically, ingroup preference was negatively correlated with intercultural communication while ingroup superiority was positively correlated with global self-awareness. These findings suggest that the relationship between ethnocentrism and global citizenship is multifaceted, with some aspects of ethnocentrism working against some aspects of global citizenship, while others may work together. In pursuit of developing sustainable global citizenship education (GCE) programmes, it is imperative to keep the complexity of the relationship between ethnocentrism and global citizenship in mind.

Reading: the long preparation for inquiry

This introduction to the special issue titled, “Reading: The Long Preparation for Inquiry,” asks why reading has not been as prominent as writing in educational and social science research. The authors suggest reading may not seem as empirical as writing and so has been assigned fairly limited roles in the research process—reading for the literature review at the beginning of a research project and reading to review research reports at the end. Reading, especially reading philosophy, which the authors encourage, can be considered speculative and ephemeral and bound more to the rational than the empirical side of the rational/empirical binary that structures empirical research’s epistemological goals. Also, it can be difficult to control reading—who knows what a reader might read? The authors recommend that researchers commit to reading as a necessary, lengthy preparation for scholarship and research.

The PbFRK1 gene from pear fruit affects sugar accumulation

Soluble sugar is an important component of pear fruit quality. As a key enzyme of hexose metabolism, hexokinase is closely related to pear fruit quality. However, there are few research reports on the fructokinase (FRK) gene family, consisting of hexose phosphorylases, in pear. Therefore, in this study, two pear varieties, ‘Yali’ and ‘Aikansui’, were used as test materials to study the effects of bagging, a widely used cultivation technique in pear fruit production, on the soluble sugar content and hexokinase activity of pear fruit during the growth process; analyze the response of hexokinase to bagging treatment and the correlation between hexokinase activity and soluble sugar content; and clone the fructokinase gene PbFRK1 from pear fruit. The results showed that bagging treatment inhibited the accumulation of sugar in the fruit to a certain extent. PbFRK1 gene expression was positively correlated with hexokinase activity but negatively correlated with the content of soluble sugar components. In addition, we overexpressed PbFRK1 in tomato. The results showed that the growth of transgenic tomato plants was inhibited, and the soluble sugar content of transgenic tomato plants was significantly lower than that of the wild-type control, while the activity of hexokinase was higher than that of the wild-type control. Therefore, in pears, PbFRK1 seems to be involved in regulating the activity of hexokinase, thereby regulating the sugar content of fruits and affecting plant growth and development. This study is not only meaningful for understanding the molecular mechanism of fruit sugar metabolism but also helpful for guiding breeding and production.

CHALLENGES OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION MANAGEMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA

This research aims to explorer the of islamic education management in the digital era and the ‎hurdles faced by Islamic education management in adapting to the digital era. A qualitative ‎paradigm and library research design used. The data collection technique performed in this ‎study involves document analysis, encompassing journal articles, proceedings, books, research ‎reports, online news sources, and other relevant materials. The data analysis method employed ‎is content analysis. The findings of present study reveal that the constraints in Islamic ‎education management's response to the digital era primarily revolve around the quality of ‎human resources. These resources have yet to harness digital technology to its fullest ‎potential, resulting in an inability to provide comprehensive digital-based Islamic educational ‎facilities. Furthermore, the competence of Islamic education teachers poses a significant ‎obstacle. Many educators have yet to effectively utilize digital-based learning media in their ‎instructional processes, even as a growing number of students display proficiency in digital ‎technology. Consequently, Islamic education management in the digital era remains ‎comparatively behind general education management.

Unveiling the Influence of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning on Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Analysis of AI Applications in Trading, Risk Management, and Financial Operations

This study explores the adoption and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in financial markets, utilizing a mixed-methods approach that includes a quantitative survey and a qualitative analysis of existing research papers, reports, and articles. The quantitative results demonstrate the growing adoption of AI and ML technologies in financial institutions and their most common applications, such as algorithmic trading, risk management, fraud detection, credit scoring, and customer service. Additionally, the qualitative analysis identifies key themes, including AI and ML adoption trends, challenges and barriers to adoption, the role of regulation, workforce transformation, and ethical and social considerations. The study highlights the need for financial professionals to adapt their skills and for organizations to address challenges, such as data privacy concerns, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations. The research contributes to the knowledge on AI and ML in finance, helping policymakers, regulators, and professionals understand their benefits and challenges.

Departures From the Norm: Innovative Planning for Inclusive Manufacturing

For decades, urban development strategies that privilege narrowly defined “creative” sectors, and anachronistic zoning policies have been the norm in US cities, bringing persistent displacement pressures to manufacturing businesses. However, as cities have faced mounting concerns over inequality, affordability, and diversity, recent scholarship has begun to revisit the importance of urban industry, identifying key contributions that industrial enterprises make to cities. The challenge is finding the right strategies that can preserve, enhance, and potentially expand existing urban industrial space. This article takes up that challenge in three ways: (a) by calling attention to long-standing industrial planning norms that have simultaneously disadvantaged communities of color and undermined awareness of and support for urban manufacturing, (b) by exploring “innovations” that depart from those norms by prioritizing “inclusion” and “visibility” in their planning efforts, and (c) by taking an expansive approach to “planning” that seeks lessons from beyond the formal planning establishment. Drawing from emerging scholarship, research and policy reports, program documents, and interviews with key participants, this article gathers lessons from two industrial planning examples—in San Francisco, CA and Buffalo, NY—that help reveal existing barriers to industrial retention, help reimagine the role and place of manufacturing in the city, and ultimately help to foster more inclusive urban development in the US.

STEM education in England: questioning the “leaky pipeline” metaphor

PurposeThe skillsets of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates are widely recognised to be important for economic prosperity. At the same time, it is broadly accepted that in England there is a need to increase the number of people studying STEM degree courses and working in STEM. However, despite decades of interventions post-16, STEM participation rates remain lower than projected requirements. Some research reports suggest a lack of positive attitudes towards these subjects and aspirations amongst some social groups. As these debates continue, official reports such as those released by the Department for Education show these patterns from the labour market and higher education (HE) extend to both attainment and participation in science and math in school.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors summarise the authors' findings from the analysis of official reports, policy documents and major research reports focussing on attainment in school science and math and post-compulsory STEM participation.FindingsThe authors identify the problematic ways in which STEM subject choices are made across the student life cycle and then discuss how the leaky pipeline metaphor can be ambiguous and needs to be used with caution.Research limitations/implicationsSome aspects identified here warrant further research and will be of particular interest to researchers, practitioners and policymakers.Originality/valueIn this new report, the authors identify the problematic ways in which STEM subject choices are made across the student life cycle in England and then discuss how the leaky pipeline metaphor can be ambiguous and needs to be used with caution.

Improving the Reporting of Primary Care Research: Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary Care-the CRISP Statement.

Primary care (PC) is a unique clinical specialty and research discipline with its own perspectives and methods. Research in this field uses varied research methods and study designs to investigate myriad topics. The diversity of PC presents challenges for reporting, and despite the proliferation of reporting guidelines, none focuses specifically on the needs of PC. The Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary Care (CRISP) Checklist guides reporting of PC research to include the information needed by the diverse PC community, including practitioners, patients, and communities. CRISP complements current guidelines to enhance the reporting, dissemination, and application of PC research findings and results. Prior CRISP studies documented opportunities to improve research reporting in this field. Our surveys of the international, interdisciplinary, and interprofessional PC community identified essential items to include in PC research reports. A 2-round Delphi study identified a consensus list of items considered necessary. The CRISP Checklist contains 24 items that describe the research team, patients, study participants, health conditions, clinical encounters, care teams, interventions, study measures, settings of care, and implementation of findings/results in PC. Not every item applies to every study design or topic. The CRISP guidelines inform the design and reporting of (1) studies done by PC researchers, (2) studies done by other investigators in PC populations and settings, and (3) studies intended for application in PC practice. Improved reporting of the context of the clinical services and the process of research is critical to interpreting study findings/results and applying them to diverse populations and varied settings in PC.Annals "Online First" article.

Development of Research Competency for Pre-service Teacher in Early Childhood Education Program using Peer Coaching Process

Purpose: This semi-experimental research aimed at achieving two objectives: 1) to develop the research competency of pre-service teachers in early childhood education through the use of a peer coaching process, and 2) to compare the research competency of pre-service teachers in early childhood education before and after implementing the peer coaching process. Methodology: The research sample consists of 30 second-year pre-service teachers in the early childhood education program who are enrolled in research classes in the 2021 academic year, selected through cluster random sampling. The research tools used include activities planned with a peer coaching process and a pre-service teacher research competency assessment form. The statistical analysis employed the mean and standard deviation. Findings: The findings revealed that: 1) pre-service teachers demonstrated good research competency when using the peer coaching process (mean = 3.97, SD = 0.52), and 2) the research competency of pre-service teachers in early childhood education after the implementation of the peer coaching process was at a higher level (good level) compared to their competency level before the trial of the peer coaching process (fair level). The statistical significance was set at .05. Conclusion: Upon closer examination, it was found that the participants exhibited good performance in all aspects, except for writing research reports and presenting research findings. Furthermore, the research competencies of the post-experimental early childhood education students were significantly higher than before the reciprocal coaching process. Practical Implications: This study can be implemented in the classes to improve the competency of student's research ability by applying these coaching methods.

Special Issue on NIED Frontier Research on Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience 2023

We are very pleased to publish this Special Issue, NIED Frontier Research on Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience 2023, which includes three papers and one tutorial. The first paper, authored by Dhakal and Kunugi, presents the orientation changes that earthquake movements have caused in the accelerometers of a seafloor observation network for earthquakes and tsunamis along the Japan Trench (S-net). This study is expected to contribute to more accurate analyses of S-net data. The second and third papers are reports of research done on volcanoes. The paper by Tanada and Ueda presents the seismic activity of the Nasudake volcano through the use of NIED hypocenter data gathered from 1998 to 2022. Tanada and Ueda state that earthquakes have regularly occurred near the Chausudake lava dome and two craters and that, from the volcano disaster-prevention point of view, it is important to monitor the relationship between this seismic area and volcanic activity. The third paper, by Miyagi et al., reports on an experiment aimed at grasping the movement of climbers and sharing the level of disaster threat with climber-related organizations in real time. Their online visualization system for the movement of climbers helps to provide solutions to problems related to volcanic disaster prevention not only during disaster events but also in the periods between. The last paper is a tutorial by Hanashima and Usuda on “SIP4D-ZIP,” which is a standard for synthesizing and sharing common information from multiple organizations. This tutorial explains how to realize a versatile and automatic mutual data sharing and usage system for various kinds of necessary disaster information. In conjunction with the fourth 7-year mid/long term plan period 2016-2022, NIED has published seven special issues since 2017, including this 2023 issue. We believe that the articles in these seven issues can contribute to the advancement of science and technology for disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Sinomenine promotes ferroptosis in lung cancer cells by driving P53 gene

Research reports have found that sinomenine has a potentially inhibitory effect on lung cancer. At the same time, sinomenine and P53 gene show a close relationship with ferroptosis. In order to further discover the mechanism of action, this research intends to evaluate whether sinomenine can drive P53 gene through DKN2A to promote the growth of iron in lung cancer. Lung cancer cells were transfected with DKN2A overexpression plasmid followed by analysis of cell proliferation, expression of DKN2A and P53. Protein expression and cell viability were observed after P53 was inhibited by the chemical inhibitor PFT-α. To further verify histological expression, epithelial injury and apoptosis expression were detected by hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E) and immunofluorescence. Sinomenine affects activities of lung cancer cells. After sinomenine treatment, cell shape became round, with increased cell shrinkage and death. Overexpression of DKN2A inhibited sinomenine-induced ferroptosis. P53 negatively modulated DKN2A. STAT3 was upregulated with induction of ferroptosis during lung injury. In conclusion, Sinomenine promotes ferroptosis of lung cancer cells by regulating DKN2A and P53, thereby affecting the proliferation of lung cancer cell proliferation.

Preparation and study of B and P doped SiNTs

The unique properties of silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) are expected to provide them with a very wide range of application potential in nanoelectronic devices, lithium-ion batteries, sensors, field-effect transistors, magnetic nanodevices, hydrogen reservoirs, optoelectronic devices, field emission display devices, and quantum computers, and they are a new one-dimensional nanomaterial with a wide range of applications in the future. Although researchers have already prepared SiNTs in the laboratory, there are not many research reports on SiNTs, especially the preparation of B and P doped SiNTs and analysis based on spectroscopic techniques. Our research group used silicon sources (SiO2 and Si) that had not been previously reported or catalyzed by the rare earth element lanthanum (La). The optimal experimental conditions for the preparation of SiNTs, as well as the doping preparation and study of B and P, were explored by thermal evaporation. Finally, SEM, Raman spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction, HRTEM, XRD, PL spectroscopy, and other characterization methods were performed on the experimental samples. The experimental results show that 1280 °C was the best experimental temperature for the preparation of SiNTs. Under experimental conditions of 1280 °C, doping of B favored the synthesis of silicon nanowires and SiNTs, and the number of products generated was from least to most: no added B2O3 < 0.1 g B2O3 < 0.2 g B2O3 < 0.3 g B2O3 < 0.4 g B2O3. Under the experimental conditions of 1280 °C, when the amount of doped B2O3 is large (2.2 g), a “needle” structure product is generated. Under experimental conditions of 1400 °C, when the ratio of doped P to the original material is 1:9, a new material that has not been previously reported is generated. Through relevant research and the findings of this paper, it is hoped that it can be helpful for the future research and application of SiNTs.

Updates on the Synthetic Strategies and Structure-Activity Relationship of Anticonvulsant Benzothiazole and Benzimidazole Derivatives

Abstract: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by periodic and unpredictable seizures affecting the neurobiological, psychological, cognitive, economic, and social well-being of patients. It is one of the causes of concern in developed as well as developing countries as currently marketed drugs are not capable of providing protection against it. Although several heterocyclic moieties have been frequently used as building blocks for the preparation of anticonvulsant drugs, more focused and consistent research on the synthesis of potential molecules with less adverse effects is the need of the hour. It can be concluded on the basis of available research reports that among several heterocyclic compounds, benzo-fused five-membered heterocyclic moieties (benzothiazole and benzimidazole) have been utilized far less than their great potential as building blocks for the synthesis of anticonvulsant drugs. Various reports clearly established that the required pharmacophore model could be easily achieved through benzothiazole and benzimidazole moieties as two hetero atoms and aryl rings are present in the structure. The present study highlights various synthetic approaches for anticonvulsant benzothiazole and benzimidazole derivatives with their structure-activity relationship studies in order to provide a trove of knowledge to medicinal chemists for future research.

Prevalence of questionable health behaviours in Serbia and their psychological roots: protocol for a nationally representative survey

IntroductionWe will launch a national survey in Serbia to document the prevalence of two types of questionable health behaviours: (1) intentional non-adherence to medical recommendations and (2) use of traditional,...

Global sustainable aviation fuel industry research report 2023-2033: Catalyzing change – SAF market set to disrupt the aviation industry

Global sustainable aviation fuel industry research report 2023-2033: Catalyzing change – SAF market set to disrupt the aviation industry

Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension of Recount Text Through Listen-Read-Discuss Strategy (LRD)

The objective of this study was to improve student’s reading comprehension of recount texts through the use of the Listen-Read-Discuss strategy to address issues that were discovered in the classroom. The eighth-graders in this study were focused on, particularly those in class VIII E, which included 30 students. Action research in the classroom was used for this study. An observation checklist, field notes, and tests were the tools utilized in collecting the data. The researcher combined qualitative and quantitative data to analyze the data and examined the observation checklist with field notes for qualitative data. Moreover, the researcher examined the test that was determined by the mean score for each cycle in qualitative data. Based on qualitative data, this research concluded that students' reading behavior in the classroom improved through the Listen-Read-Discuss teaching and learning process. The student's performance increased from the first cycle to the second cycle, as evidenced by the observation checklist and field notes. Quantitative data results also revealed an improvement in the students' reading comprehension mean scores from the first to the second cycles. Based on the result, the researcher advises teachers to use strategies to teach reading comprehension based on the findings provided in this research report. It can help students who have trouble comprehending the text to understand better and increase their comprehension of the material taught.

Merdeka Curriculum: Strengthening Character Through Assessment At SMP Negeri 17 Pontianak

This research aims to determine the implementation of character strengthening through independent curriculum assessments in junior high school level education units. Curriculum changes require adjustments to the competencies of teachers and students. Especially junior high school students who have just experienced the transition from primary to junior secondary education. In order to find answers to research questions, researchers conducted research at SMP Negeri 17 Pontianak. The research method is descriptive qualitative. The research procedure was carried out starting with preparing the design, implementation and research report. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews and documentation studies. The research results were analyzed according to Milles and Huberman's analysis. Research population of teachers and students of SMP Negeri 2 Pontianak. Meanwhile, the research samples were from social studies teachers and several students. The results of the research show that SMPN 17 Pontianak is still in the adjustment or adaptation stage. Formative assessment is able to provide encouragement to teachers to be more systematic and consistent in assessing students in areas mastered. The assessment at SMPN 17 Pontianak is an evaluation for teachers to review students' abilities, for example what learning needs students need and the obstacles or challenges faced by students. Apart from still not mastering the adaptation process for teachers in the independent curriculum assessment, another obstacle is the limited number of textbooks from the central government which until now has not provided these textbooks to the SMP Negeri 17 Pontianak school. So students are forced to buy textbooks individually and not all students can buy textbooks.