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This qualitative case study sought to understand the extent to which Japanese high school social studies teachers grapple with controversial issues in their classrooms. Situated within a curricular-instructional gatekeeping framework, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight respondents of varying backgrounds and schools in Okayama, Japan. The findings indicated that although the respondents believe they can teach controversial issues in their classrooms they generally do not because of specific contextual forces. Although we found controversial issues instruction to be generally moribund, one respondent provided a rationale that reconceptualized exam preparation curriculum and instruction.

Aim: Addressing sarcopenia and frailty in aging populations is crucial for enhancing quality of life and reducing healthcare dependence. While the importance of energy, protein, and amino acid supplementation is known, the role of minerals needs further exploration. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of these minerals in managing sarcopenia and frailty. Methods: We analyzed data from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and Ichu‐shi Web from January 2000 to March 2023. Studies were selected if they were interventional or observational, focused on individuals with frailty or sarcopenia who were aged 65 or older, and involved mineral supplementation. The risk of bias in these studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Results: Of the 615 studies identified, seven met the inclusion criteria. These studies mainly focused on the effects of combined nutrient supplements, with few focusing on individual minerals. The findings were mixed, demonstrating some improvements in muscle strength, activity of daily living, and cognitive functions. Notably, minerals appeared to offer benefits as part of multi‐nutrient interventions, especially for cognitive and immune health, but had limited impact on muscle mass or strength when used alone. The limited number and variable outcomes of studies precluded a feasible meta‐analysis. Conclusions: The effect of mineral supplementation on sarcopenia and frailty remains uncertain, suggesting a need for tailored nutritional strategies. Future studies should aim for well‐designed clinical trials in order to gain a better understanding of the roles of minerals in improving muscle health and functional outcomes, leading to clearer recommendations for clinical practice. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 850–858. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective According to a World Health Organization report, in 2016, 41 million young children globally were overweight or obese. The connection between parents' social capital and their children's health has been studied, but associations between parental social capital and children's weight are largely unexamined. Hence, we assessed the relationship between preschool children's weight and parents' social capital. Methods We used BMI assessment data for 357 children (46.5% girls; mean age 5.3 years) in Japan. We examined parents' structural and cognitive social capital using a self-report questionnaire. Results Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed associations between parents' social capital and children's BMI. Seventy-two (20.2%) of the children had poor BMI (body mass index; overweight or thin). Interpersonal trust was significantly associated with normal BMI in children after adjustment for all confounding factors (OR 2.68; 95% CI, 1.33-5.44; P = .006) and was independently associated with other social capital factors, including norm of reciprocity (OR 3.38; 95% CI, 1.68-6.79; P < .001) and trust in organization (OR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.42; P = .001). Conclusion Social capital factors were independently associated with each other. Japanese parents' high social capital was an independent predictor of normal BMI among preschool children., Author(s): Hiroto Ogi [sup.1] [sup.2] , Daisuke Nakamura [sup.2] [sup.3] , Masato Ogawa [sup.2] [sup.4] , Teruhiko Nakamura [sup.5] , Kazuhiro P. Izawa [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.31432.37, 0000 [...]

BACKGROUND: Low-functional health literacy (HL) of parents influences poor child health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the relationship between comprehensive HL of parents and body mass index (BMI) of their children. METHODS: We enrolled 3- to 6-year-old preschool-aged children and their parents in this multicenter cross-sectional cohort study. We evaluated parents' comprehensive HL with the 14-item HL scale. Children's BMI categories were defined using International Obesity Task Force cutoffs according to age and sex. We analyzed differences in data between the high-HL group and the low-HL group and investigated the association between HL of parents and their children's BMI by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The high-HL group comprised 208 (75.1%) children and the low-HL group comprised 69 (24.9%) children of whom 23 (8.3%) were overweight and 35 (12.6%) were thin. The low-HL group had more children with poor BMI than the high-HL group. Multivariate analysis showed an association between the low HL of parents and the poor BMI of their children after adjustment for all other confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive HL of parents appears to affect the BMI of their children independently, suggesting that interventions to improve HL in parents are necessary.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the treatment of Japanese-American internment during World War II in high school United States history textbooks. Four reasons highlight the selection of this topic for study. First, this historical event was selected because a little over a year ago was the 60th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order No. 9066, setting in motion an unprecedented internment of Japanese Americans and those of Japanese descent. Even more than fifty-six years after the last center was closed, the Japanese-American interment experience continues to deeply affect the Japanese-American community. Second, the event has enormous relevance to contemporary issues of interest to high school students including equity and social justice. Discriminatory policies, programs, and practices are still present today. Disparities and inequities manifest at local, state, and federal levels, and in both public and private domains. Since the September 11th attack on the United States, which is often compared to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the need for understanding of the democratic ideals of social justice and equity and the issues of national security has never been greater. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the Arab-American and Muslim communities have been subjected to many of the same experiences that were once visited on Japanese Americans. Third, the event was selected because of the author's experience teaching the topic at a high school located in a large Japanese-American community, in which approximately 1,000 Japanese Americans currently reside.

Aims Post-extubation dysphagia (PED), an often overlooked problem, is a common and serious complication associated with mortality and major morbidity after cardiovascular surgery. Dysphagia is considered an age-related disease, and evaluating its long-term effects is a pressing issue with rapidly progressing ageing worldwide. Therefore, we examined the effect of PED on functional status and long-term cardiovascular events in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. Methods and results This single-centre, retrospective cohort study included 712 patients who underwent elective cardiovascular surgery and met the inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into PED and non-PED groups based on their post-operative swallowing status. The swallowing status was assessed using the Food Intake Level Scale. Functional status was evaluated as hospital-associated disability (HAD), defined as a decrease in activities of daily living after hospital discharge compared with preoperative values. The patients were subsequently followed up to detect major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs). Post-extubation dysphagia was present in 23% of the 712 patients and was independently associated with HAD (adjusted odds ratio, 2.70). Over a 3.5-year median follow-up period, MACCE occurred in 14.1% of patients. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed HAD to be independently associated with an increased risk of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.85), although PED was not significantly associated with MACCE. Conclusion Post-extubation dysphagia was an independent HAD predictor, with the odds of HAD occurrence being increased by 2.7-fold due to PED. Hospital-associated disability accompanied by PED is a powerful predictor of poor prognosis. Perioperative evaluation and management of the swallowing status, and appropriate therapeutic interventions, are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how recent history textbooks from the United States, Japan, China, and South Korea present the Korean War. The comparative analysis focuses on four areas: the causes of the Korean War, American involvement in the war, Chinese involvement in the war, and the results of the war. Analysis of the central story lines reveals that some consistent statements exist about certain events in the Korean War, but inconsistencies and conflicting views seem to dominate the history textbooks in these countries. The authors believe that comparing international history textbooks creates a good opportunity for students to see the complexity and controversy of history interpretation. Such a critical comparative approach helps students better understand how people in different countries perceive and interpret historical events. The authors argue that reviewing the similar and conflicting interpretations of the war gives students a unique opportunity to develop their critical-thinking ability and reasoning skills.