Does niche centrality predict trait variation in the Antioquia Wren?

The niche centrality hypothesis predicts that individuals near the niche centroid have higher fitness due to more favorable environmental conditions. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the niche structure of the Antioquia Wren on 20 different traits grouped into four datasets: morphology, genetic diversity, coloration and acoustics. We tested the relationship with distinct niche configurations using minimum volume ellipsoids, and evaluated the relationship between the distance to the niche centroid and trait values through ordinary linear and generalized linear squared regression models. We found positive relationships for variables associated with beak morphology and crown feathers hue. Conversely, we found a negative relationship with birdsong frequency and the distance between longest primary and first secondary flight feathers. All effects of the niche structure on traits were weak (<0.2). We found no consistency in the relationship between niche structure and the remaining 13 traits. We identify potential mechanisms underlying both positive relationships and the absence of trait–niche relationships. Our findings emphasize that factors such as biotic interactions, climatic heterogeneity, range size, niche breadth, centroid position, and intrinsic trait variability are likely to shape how species conform to the niche centrality hypothesis

A Critical Review of Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction in Montessori Classrooms

Persistent national declines in early reading outcomes demand rigorously evidence-based literacy instruction. Although Montessori education is dismissed as purely constructivist and child-led, its literacy practices incorporate explicit, systematic, sequential, and multisensory methods that align closely with contemporary science-of-reading frameworks. This critical review synthesizes existing literature to examine how Montessori classrooms cultivate foundational reading skills—including phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension—through developmentally responsive, hands-on, and sequential experiences. Key elements such as control of error, child autonomy, and structured teacher guidance are clarified, demonstrating how Montessori education integrates learner independence with systematic skill development. Empirical evidence from randomized controlled trials, large-scale analyses, meta-analyses, and teacher perspectives consistently shows that high-fidelity Montessori literacy instruction supports reading growth, executive function, and social-emotional development, with gains amplified by sustained program exposure. These findings suggest Montessori education effectively bridges the perceived divide between child-centered pedagogy and evidence-based literacy instruction, offering a model that is developmentally responsive and academically robust. Ensuring teacher expertise, instructional fidelity, and multiyear engagement is essential to translating Montessori pedagogy’s evidence-based practices into meaningful literacy outcomes for diverse and at-risk learners

A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study Investigating the Effect of Albumin Administration on the BDG (1,3-β-D-glucan) Serum Assay

Introduction. The β-D-glucan (BDG) serum assay is a screening tool used in the diagnosis and management of invasive fungal infections (IFI). False-positive results have been reported, including in patients who have recently received intravenous albumin prior to testing. Author of this study examined the association between timing of albumin administration and BDG assay results. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 4,599 electronic health records at The University of Kansas Health System (TUKHS). Patients were eligible if they were ≥18 years of age and had a BDG serum assay performed between 2010 and 2020. Demographic data, comorbidities, albumin administration, and IFI status were extracted and recorded in REDCap, a HIPAA-compliant database. The final analytic cohort included 2,061 patients. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between time from albumin administration to BDG testing and false-positive results. Statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.5.2. Results. A total of 255 patients received albumin within two weeks prior to BDG testing, of whom 109 (42.7%) had a positive BDG result. Among these positive results, 83 were classified as false positives (false-positive rate: 76.1%). Logistic regression demonstrated the highest odds of a false-positive result when albumin was administered 6-8 days prior to testing (OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.51-2.91). Conclusions. Albumin administration within days preceding BDG testing may be associated with an increased risk of false-positive results, potentially leading to unnecessary diagnostic evaluation and treatment

Driven To Lead: Gendered Differences in Leadership Competencies Among NCAA Athletes

Intercollegiate athletics offers a valuable environment for college athletes leadership development, yet gender disparities remain in leadership roles. While female participation in college sports has grown significantly since Title IX, women still hold only 25% of NCAA leadership positions. This study explored leadership competencies among male and female NCAA athletes, focusing on key differences and their implications. A total of 232 athletes (61.7% female, 38.3% male) from all divisions completed surveys using the Leadership Learning Agility Scale (LLAS) and the Student Leadership Behavior Scale (SLBS). Results showed that female athletes scored significantly higher in six of nine leadership competencies. These findings underscore the need for gender-specific leadership programming to build confidence and prepare female athletes for future leadership roles. Tailored initiatives can help athletic departments promote more inclusive leadership development. Future research should examine the long-term and qualitative impacts of such targeted efforts

\u27Modernization\u27 Discourse in the Israeli Druze Context, 1975-2021: From Egon Mayer to Abbas & Court

This review and theoretical analysis aim to situate scholarship on Israeli Druze society within the broader literature on modernization and postmodernity. Informed by eight months of ethnographic observations spanning seven years in Druze communities in the Upper Galilee, it examines the nearly half-century evolution of Druze studies from Egon Mayer’s 1975 groundbreaking article in the Middle East Journal to the 2021 co-authored volume by Randa Abbas and Deborah Court. While both studies start from a theoretical stance of polarity between traditionalism and modernity, the implicit linearity that binds these two phenomena has undergone a radical change. Although still adhering to particularistic religious beliefs and customs, Druze communities of the Upper Galilee have leapfrogged industrialization and embraced a broader Israeli identity, the Hebrew language, and social aspirations. They have also acquired consumerist lifestyles unimaginable when Mayer conducted fieldwork in the 1970s. Framing Druze studies within a discourse of tradition and modernity – a dialectic whose application to the Middle East was pioneered by Daniel Lerner - remains heuristically useful. On the one hand, it enables Druze scholars to appreciate the evolution of social science literature as it relates to their specific subject. On the other hand, it introduces theorists of modernization to a compelling ethnoreligious case that relatively few social scientists have focused on. Ultimately, it aims to reveal how the paradigm of modernity, as applied to the evaluation of Druze in Israel, has changed over time

An Evidence-Based, Cross-Sector Competency Framework for Chaplaincy: A Model for CBE with Complex Professions

Professional chaplaincy is a complex, relational field practiced across diverse institutional contexts, and it remains fragmented in its competency standards, hindering coherent educational and certification models. This study develops and validates a unified, cross-sector competency framework grounded in Competency-Based Education (CBE) principles. Employing a multi-phase design research process, the authors synthesized over a dozen frameworks through a “human-in-the-loop” AI-assisted normalization procedure. The result yielded 36 standardized competencies across six domains, each defined by Observable Performance Indicators. A cross-sector survey of 353 chaplains assessed the importance, frequency of use, and educational preparation for each competency, revealing substantial gaps. The resulting framework, the Center for Chaplaincy Studies (CCS) Competencies, provides theological educators and certifying bodies with a replicable, evidence-based tool for curricular alignment and demonstrates how CBE methodologies can be extended to other fragmented, high-complexity professions