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The President's Award for best scientific paper is presented to esteemed members at each Southern Thoracic Surgical Association annual meeting to stimulate friendly scientific competition. Between 1964 and 2015, 58 awards were presented for clinical expertise in general thoracic surgery (18), adult cardiac surgery (25), and congenital heart surgery (15). Manuscripts were published by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and the average number of subsequent citations in professional medical journals as a measure of scientific importance was 43.7 ± 60.2. A seemingly prosaic addition of a yearly scientific award has had an enormous impact on the scientific community and membership participation.

Open Access monographs offer a real opportunity for long-form humanities and social sciences scholarship to reach a wider audience. However, unlike for journal articles, discussions around how to best achieve Open Access to books are still in a nascent stage, complicated by the large upfront costs associated with each published book. This briefing paper provides an overview of the Open Access monograph landscape, outlining the case for OA books, the costs involved, the potential for innovation, the current business models and the possible areas for policymaker intervention.

In this November issue of Cell Research, we are proud to announce the winners of the 5th Sanofi-Cell Research Outstanding Paper Award, which were selected from papers published in the 2013 print issues of Cell Research. The 2013 Sanofi-Cell Research Outstanding Review Article Award goes to Dr George Daley, for his review paper entitled “A blueprint for engineering cell fate: current technologies to reprogram cell identify”1, which is co-authored with Dr Samantha A Morris. The winners of the 2013 Sanofi-Cell Research Outstanding Research Article Award are Dr Jiahuai Han, for his paper entitled “Mlkl knockout mice demonstrate the indispensable role of Mlkl in necroptosis”2; and Dr Rudolf Jaenisch, for his paper entitled “Multiplexed activation of endogenous genes by CRISPR-on, an RNA-guided transcriptional activator system”3. The award consists of a prize of € 3000 for the Outstanding Review Article Award and € 5000 for the Outstanding Research Article Award sponsored by Sanofi. The three award-winning papers are selected based on the voting by members of the Sanofi-Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences Steering Committee. The award-winning review by Drs Daley and Morris was published in the January issue of 2013. The review provides an expert analysis on the current strategies to manipulate cell identities and discuss challenges faced by the field in its marching towards the ultimate goal of harnessing the technology of cell fate conversion for the production of medically relevant cell populations. In the first award-winning research article, published in the August 2013 issue, Dr Jiahuai Han and his colleagues report the detailed characterization of Mlkl knockout mice, providing definitive in vivo genetic evidence for the critical role of Mlkl in mediating programmed necrosis, a form of cell death that is distinct from apoptosis. In the second award-winning research article, published in the October 2013 issue, Dr Rudolf Jaenisch and his colleagues utilized a modified version of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, a newly emerging genetic tool, to create RNA-guided transcriptional activators that could act to robustly activate endogenous target gene expression in vivo, thus providing a versatile system to specifically manipulate gene expression at both the cellular and organism levels. Please join us to congratulate Drs Daley, Morris, Han, and Jaenisch on their winning of the 2013 Sanofi-Cell Research Outstanding Paper Award. We have no doubt that this yearly award program, along with the rapidly rising status of the journal, will encourage more and more scientists to submit their best work to Cell Research.

Background Brace treatment is the most effective non-surgical treatment for AIS. High initial in-brace correction increases successful brace treatment outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate if real-time ultrasound (US) can aid orthotists in selecting the pad pressure level and location resulting in optimal in-brace correction of the spine. Methods Twenty six AIS subjects participated in this pilot study with 17 (2 M, 15 F) in the control group and 9 (2 M, 7 F) in the intervention group. For the control group, the standard method was used to design their braces. In addition to the standard of care, a medical 3D ultrasound (US) system, a custom pressure measurement system and in-house software were used to select pad placement and pressure levels for the intervention group. The orthotist used a custom standing Providence brace design system to apply pressures against the patient’s torso. The applied pad pressures were recorded. A real-time US spinal image was displayed. Cobb angle measurements from the baseline and the assessment scan were performed. The orthotist then decided if an adjustment was needed in terms of altering the pad locations and pressure levels. The procedures may be repeated until the orthotist attained the best simulated in-brace correction configuration to cast the brace. Results In the control group, 8 of 17 (47%) subjects needed a total of 16 brace adjustments after initial fabrication requiring a total of 33 in-brace radiographs. For the intervention group, the orthotist tried additional configurations in 7 out of 9 cases (78%). Among these 7 revised cases, 5 showed better stimulated in-brace corrections and were subsequently used to cast the brace. As a result, only 1 subject required a minor adjustment after initial fabrication. The total number of in-brace radiographs in the intervention group was 10. Conclusions The use of the 3D ultrasound system provided a radiation-free method to determine the optimum pressure level and location to obtain the best stimulated in-brace correction during brace casting. The average number of radiographs per subject taken prior to final brace implementation with the interventional group was significantly lower than the control group.

International audience; Determining where species diversify (cradles) and persist (museums) over evolutionary time is fundamental to understanding the distribution of biodiversity and for conservation prioriti-zation. Here, we identify cradles and museums of angiosperm generic diversity across tropical Africa, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Regions containing nonrandom concentrations of young (neo-) and old (paleo-) endemic taxa were identified using distribution data of 1719 genera combined with a newly generated time-calibrated mega-phylogenetic tree. We then compared the identified regions with the current network of African protected areas (PAs). At the generic level, phylogenetic diversity and endemism are mainly concentrated in the biogeographically complex region of Eastern Africa. We show that mountainous areas are centres of both neo-and paleo-endemism. By contrast, the Guineo-Congolian lowland rain forest region is characterized by widespread and old lineages. We found that the overlap between centres of phylogenetic endemism and PAs is high (> 85%). We show the vital role played by mountains acting simultaneously as cradles and museums of tropical African plant biodiversity. By contrast, lowland rainforests act mainly as museums for generic diversity. Our study shows that incorporating large-scale taxonomically verified distribution datasets and mega-phylogenies lead to an improved understanding of tropical plant biodiversity evolution.

Background Electronic formats of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are now routinely used in clinical research studies. When changing from a validated paper and pen to electronic administration it is necessary to establish their equivalence. This study reports on the value of Rasch analysis in this process. Methods Three groups of US pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients participated. The first completed an electronic version of the CAMPHOR Activity Limitation scale (e-sample) and this was compared with two pen and paper administrated samples (pp1 and pp2). The three databases were combined and analysed for fit to the Rasch model. Equivalence was evaluated by differential item functioning (DIF) analyses. Results The three datasets were matched randomly in terms of sample size (n = 147). Mean age (years) and percentage of male respondents were as follows: e-sample (51.7, 16.0 %); pp1 (50.0, 14.0 %); pp2 (55.5, 40.4 %). The combined dataset achieved fit to the Rasch model. Two items showed evidence of borderline DIF. Further analyses showed the inclusion of these items had little impact on Rasch estimates indicating the DIF identified was unimportant. Conclusions Differences between the performance of the electronic and pen and paper administrations of the CAMPHOR Activity Limitation scale were minor. The results were successful in showing how the Rasch model can be used to determine the equivalence of alternative formats of PRO measures.

PurposeIn aphasia treatment literature, scarce attention is paid to factors that may reduce a study's validity, including adherence to assessment and treatment procedures (i.e., fidelity). Although guidelines have been established for evaluating and reporting treatment fidelity, none exist for assessment fidelity.MethodWe reviewed treatment fidelity guidelines and related literature to identify assessment fidelity components. We then examined 88 aphasia treatment studies published between 2010 and 2015 and report the frequency with which researchers provide information regarding the following assessment fidelity components: assessment instruments, assessor qualifications, assessor or rater training, assessment delivery, assessor or rater reliability, and assessor blinding.ResultsWe found that 4.5% of studies reported information regarding assessment instruments, 35.2% reported information regarding assessor qualifications, 6.85% reported information regarding assessor or rater training, 37.5% reported information regarding assessor or rater reliability, 27.3% reported on assessor blinding, and no studies reported information regarding assessment delivery.ConclusionsThere is a paucity of assessment fidelity information reported in aphasia treatment research. The authors propose a set of guidelines to ensure readers will be able to evaluate assessment fidelity, and thus study validity.

Summary Plants have a long evolutionary history, during which mass extinction events dramatically affected Earth's ecosystems and its biodiversity. The fossil record can shed light on the diversification dynamics of plant life and reveal how changes in the origination–extinction balance have contributed to shaping the current flora.We use a novel Bayesian approach to estimate origination and extinction rates in plants throughout their history. We focus on the effect of the ‘Big Five’ mass extinctions and on estimating the timing of origin of vascular plants, seed plants and angiosperms.Our analyses show that plant diversification is characterized by several shifts in origination and extinction rates, often matching the most important geological boundaries. The estimated origin of major plant clades predates the oldest macrofossils when considering the uncertainties associated with the fossil record and the preservation process.Our findings show that the commonly recognized mass extinctions have affected each plant group differently and that phases of high extinction often coincided with major floral turnovers. For instance, after the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary we infer negligible shifts in diversification of nonflowering seed plants, but find significantly decreased extinction in spore‐bearing plants and increased origination rates in angiosperms, contributing to their current ecological and evolutionary dominance., See also the Commentary by Niklas

Background The development of the minimum clinical important difference (MCID) can make it easier for researchers or doctors to judge the significance of research results and the effect of intervention measures, and improve the evaluation system of efficacy. This paper is aimed to calculate the MCID based on anchor and to develop MCID for esophageal cancer scale (QLICP-ES). Methods The item Q29 (How do you evaluate your overall health in the past week with 7 grades answers from 1 very poor to 7 excellent)of EORTC QLQ-C30 was used as the subjective anchor to calculate the score difference between each domain at discharge and admission. MCID was established according to two standards, "one grade difference"(A) and "at least one grade difference"(B), and developed by three methods: anchor-based method, ROC curve method and multiple linear regression models. In terms of anchor-based method, the mean of the absolute value of the difference before and after treatments is MCID. The point with the best sensitivity and specificity-Yorden index at the ROC curve is MCID for ROC curve method. In contrast, the predicted mean value based on a multiple linear regression model and the parameters of each factor is MCID. Results Most of the correlation coefficients of Q29 and various domains of the QLICP-ES were higher than 0.30. The rank of MCID values determined by different methods and standards were as follows: standard B > standard A, anchor-based method > ROC curve method > multiple linear regression models. The recommended MCID values of physical domain, psychological domain, social domain, common symptom and side-effects domain, the specific domain and the overall of the QLICP-ES were 7.8, 9.7, 4.7, 3.6, 4.3, 2.3 and 2.9, respectively. Conclusion Different methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, and also different definitions and standards can be adopted according to research purposes and methods. A lot of different MCID values were presented in this paper so that it can be easy and convenient to select by users.

espanolRESUMEN Este trabajo pretende proporcionar una guia practica, resumida y clara de los pasos para llevar a cabo una revision sistematica y esta dirigido a los investigadores del ambito de las ciencias de la salud. El proceso de revision se desarrolla desde el planteamiento inicial de la pregunta hasta la elaboracion del informe final, proporcionando informacion util sobre herramientas disponibles en cada etapa. La revision sistematica y el metaanalisis son actualmente las herramientas de sintesis de evidencia de mas alto nivel de calidad cientifica. Constituyen en si mismas una metodologia de investigacion secundaria, cuyo objetivo es localizar, valorar y sintetizar la mejor evidencia seleccionando los trabajos originales o publicaciones primarias de calidad. El procedimiento para alcanzar el objetivo se plantea como un proceso secuencial y sistematizado, por etapas, siguiendo el principio de transparencia, de modo que se asegure su replicabilidad. EnglishABSTRACT This paper aims to provide a practical, summarized, and clear guide of steps to carry out a systematic review and is aimed at researchers in the field of Health Sciences. The review process runs from the initial questioning to the final report, providing useful information on tools available at each stage. Systematic review and meta-analysis are currently the evidence synthesis tools of the highest level of scientific quality. They are in themselves a secondary research methodology, whose objective is to locate, evaluate, and synthesize the best evidence by selecting original papers or quality primary publications. The procedure to achieve the objective is presented as a sequential and systematized process, in stages, following the transparency principle, so as to ensure its replicability.

Worldwide there are currently over 1200 research studies being performed on the topic of COVID-19. Many of these involve children and adults over age 65 years. There are also numerous studies testing investigational vaccines on healthy volunteers. No research team is exempt from the pressures and speed at which COVID-19 research is occurring. And this can increase the risk of honest error as well as misconduct. To date, 33 papers have been identified as unsuitable for public use and either retracted, withdrawn, or noted with concern. Asia is the source of most of these manuscripts (n=19; 57.6%) with China the largest Asian subgroup (n=11; 57.9%). This paper explores these findings and offers guidance for responsible research practice during pandemics.

Study Design:Observational study.Objectives:To determine the publication rate of podium presentations from the North American Spine Society (NASS) annual meetings from the years 2009 to 2011.Methods:In April 2015, a PubMed search was conducted using titles from the paper presentations as well as the authors. Of the search results that were found, the specific scientific journal in which the article was published was recorded. We analyzed further the top 4 destination journals and trends in publications in these journals over the study period. No study funding was obtained for this research, and there are no potential conflicts of interest or associated biases.Results:Over the study period, 671 paper presentations were available and 342 were published (51% publication rate). The highest publication rate was from the 2011 annual meeting, with 55.3%, and the lowest year was 2010, with a rate of 46.43%. Spine (32.75%), The Spine Journal (19.01%), Journal of Neurosurgery Spine (7.31%), and European Spine Journal (6.73%) were the top 4 destination journals. Over the study period, we found a significant decrease in publication rate in Spine ( P = .001) and a significant increase in publication rate in The Spine Journal ( P = .003). There were no significant difference in publication rate over the study period in Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ( P = .15) or European Spine Journal ( P = .23).Conclusions:This is the first study to our knowledge evaluating the publication rate of podium presentations from recent North American Spine Society annual meetings. We found an overall publication rate of 51%.

Introduction: The Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act permits abortion on socio-economic grounds, but access to safe abortion services is limited and this constitutes a considerable problem for rights to sexual and reproductive health. The case of Zambia provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between a legal framework that permits abortion on diverse grounds, the moral and political disputes around abortion and access to sexual and reproductive health services. Methods: This paper draws upon eleven months of ethnographic fieldwork in Zambia. The fieldwork included 28 open-ended interviews with key stakeholders as well as the collection of archival material related to the origins of Zambia’s legal framework for abortion. The archival material and the interview data were analyzed thematically, using theoretical perspectives on discourse and the anthropology of policies. Results: The study findings show that the Zambian case is not easily placed into standard categories of liberal or restrictive abortion laws. The archival material reveals that restrictive elements were in focus when the Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act was passed (1972). The restrictive aspects of the law were emphasized further when Zambia was later declared as a Christian nation. Some of these restrictive elements are still readily recognized in today’s abortion debate. Currently there are multiple opinions on whether Zambian abortion policy is liberal, restrictive or neither. The law emerges as ambiguous, and this ambiguity is actively used by both those working to increase access to safe and legal abortion services, and those who work to limit such access. Coupled with a lack of knowledge about the law, its ambiguity may work to reduce access to safe abortion services on the grounds permitted by the law. Conclusions: We argue that the Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act is ambiguous and leaves much room for interpretation. This paper challenges the notion that the Zambian abortion law is liberal and opens up for further discussion on the relationship between how a law is described and perceived by the public, and the rights to health and services ensured by it. publishedVersion

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of debating an ethical dilemma on the development of ethical reasoning skills in pharmacy technician students. Methods. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods was used. This included analysis of before and after 5-minute papers, a sentiment survey, thematic analysis of student reflective writing and a qualitative questionnaire by an independent observer. Results. Twenty-five students participated in the study. The 5-minute papers showed improvement in student learning. In the sentiment survey, 83% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they had a better understanding of ethical dilemmas following the debate. The main theme identified from student blogs was the variety of different opinions expressed during the debate. Conclusion. Debating was an effective means of exploring ethics with pharmacy technician students. Read More: https://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/ajpe6280

Cet article fait une analyse critique de l’enseignement et de la recherche en histoire des techniques à l’Université de Ngaoundéré au Cameroun de la période allant de 1993, date de la création de cette institution à 2010. Au rang des filières de formation mises en place, figure l’histoire. La consultation des différents enseignements d’histoire dispensés dans cette institution universitaire, amène à se rendre compte qu’une place marginale a été accordée à l’histoire des techniques. Même si quelques intitulés des cours sont relatifs à ce domaine, ils ont rarement été effectivement dispensés. Profil inadapté des enseignants, absence de matériel didactique et manque d’intérêt accordé à cette histoire, constituent quelques raisons qui expliquent cette situation. Contrairement au volet enseignement, le domaine de la recherche semble plutôt abonder de travaux sur les techniques. En témoignent les nombreux mémoires de licence, de maîtrise, de diplôme d’études approfondies, de master et de thèses de Doctorat réalisés par les étudiants. Même si ces derniers n’ont pas été formés dans des enseignements fondamentaux en histoire des techniques, il n’en demeure pas moins que leurs travaux constituent des références sur ce sujet. À l’heure où les techniques sont au centre de la dynamique du monde actuel, qu’elles se développent avec une extraordinaire rapidité, et que le continent africain accuse un retard criant en la matière, il est important, voire urgent, de développer des études en la matière, d’où l’intérêt à promouvoir l’histoire des techniques au Cameroun et en Afrique en général. Tel est le credo que lance cette réflexion qui constitue une modeste contribution à l’historiographie du Cameroun. This paper is a critical to analysis of current teaching and research in the history of technology at the University of Ngaoundere in Cameroon from 1993 – when the institution was created – to 2010. History being one of the university’s programs, it is in this context that teaching and research have materialized in this field. Yet, among the different courses offered as part of the history program, history of technology is of marginal importance. The few subjects related to this field are often taught inefficiently. Unqualified teachers, a dearth of didactic materials and a general lack of interest are some of the reasons for this situation. However, the quantity of undergraduate and post-graduate theses and doctoral dissertations in this field demonstrate that the research—unlike the teaching—is active. These students may not have received fundamental training in history of technology, yet their contributions constitute major references in this field. Subjects studied vary from military to agricultural technology, handicraft to hunting, and fishing to architecture, thereby covering significant dimensions of the history of technology. Today, technology and its rapid development are at the centre of world dynamics. With Africa lagging far behind, there is an urgent need to promote and develop research in this field, not only in Cameroon, but in Africa as a whole. This paper, therefore, intends to be a major contribution to Cameroon’s historiography.

The aim of the paper is to present researches in the field of elder abuse, with focusing on their relevance for prevention. This is done through a systematic literature review. The number of elderly people has been increasing, including the number of people who are not capable of taking care about themselves and whose situation requires increased level of care and support. The necessity of an increased level of care puts the burden on the family and society, which can result in negligence, and even abuse of elder people. Research in the field of elderly abuse are rather rare. Existing research have been using different methodologies for determining the existance of abuse, some encompass people with dementia, while the others do not; most of the studies are based on small samples and are conducted in the community. The subject of the paper is a review of the research in the field of elder abuse, and an overview of the evidences that are highlighting the need for systemic screening of the elder abuse, prevention and intervention in this area. Screening should be introduced on the level of primary health care. This should be done, primarily, through enacting of screening protocols and training of professionals for their implementation. Professionals should be trained to recognize the signs of the problem and its consequences, and to intervene in cases of negligence or abuse.

English. The paper describes a project for the development of a French corpus for sentiment analysis focused on the texts generated by the participants to a debate about a political reform, i.e. the bill on homosexual wedding in France. Beyond the description of the data set, the paper shows the methodologies applied in the collection and annotation of data. The collection has been driven by the detection of the hashtag mainly used by the participants to the debate, while the annotation has been based on polarity but also extended with the target semantic areas involved in the debate. Italiano. L’articolo descrive un progetto per lo sviluppo di un corpus per la sentiment analysis composto di testi in francese prodotti dai partecipanti ad un dibattito su una riforma politica, i.e. la legge sul matrimonio gay in Francia. Oltre a descrivere il dataset, l’articolo mostra le metodologie applicate nella raccolta e nell’annotazione dei dati. La raccolta dei dati e stata guidata dalla presenza dell’hashtag maggiormente utilizzato dai partecipanti al dibattito, mentre l’annotazione e basata oltre che sulla polarita anche sulle aree semantiche toccate dai partecipanti nel dibattito.

Los Angeles has mostly been studied in geographical or urban terms for the past fifty years in order to try and decipher a cityscape that had never been encountered on American soil before. Stemming from these studies, the LA school led by Edward Soja and his Postmodern Geographies experimented on new theoretical tools for this unprecedented space to be made sense of, tools that propelled the inhabitants to the center. Soja structured his thought according to his “trialectics of being” which is composed equally of spatiality, historicality and sociality (Soja 71). In doing so, the cultural factor became inherent to the analysis of urban environment, a posture which is the starting point of this paper. Focusing on the body in Los Angeles is a bilateral task as the body influenced, if not built, Los Angeles, while, the city, once established, shaped the body of its inhabitants on a physical and representational level. Taking into account emblematic cultural productions or practices rooted in Los Angeles, this paper intends to explore and analyze the closed-circuit generated between the Southern Californian megalopolis and the body in urban, corporeal and representational terms. La ville de Los Angeles a été, dans la littérature scientifique qui lui a été consacrée ces cinquante dernières années, étudiée au travers d’approches géographique, urbaine ou architecturale afin de déchiffrer un type d’espace qui n’avait encore jamais pris forme sur le sol américain. Prenant appui sur ces différentes études, l’école de Los Angeles menée par Edward Soja et ses Postmodern Geographies, a cherché des modèles théoriques d’analyse applicables à cet espace sans précédent afin d’en faire sens, outils qui se concentrent sur l’habitant, l’usager de ces espaces et non leurs concepteurs. Soja a ainsi structuré son approche à l’aide de sa « trialectique de l’être » composée à part égale de spatialité, d’historicité et de socialité. Ce faisant, le facteur culturel est devenu inhérent à toute analyse de l’environnement urbain, posture qui constitue également le point d’entrée de notre article. Cependant, se concentrer sur le corps à Los Angeles s’avère être une tâche double puisque d’une part le corps a influencé, sinon construit, Los Angeles tandis que d’autre part la ville, une fois bien établie, a profondément influencé le corps de ses habitants aussi bien sur un plan physique que représentationnel. En s’appuyant sur des productions et pratiques culturelles emblématiques ancrées à Los Angeles, cet article se propose d’explorer et d’analyser le circuit fermé qui s’est formé entre la mégalopole californienne et le corps, en des termes à la fois urbains, corporels et représentationnels.

A detailed analysis of 1,039 scientific studies of extant armadillos (Xenarthra: Cingulata, Dasypodidae) published in the last 25 years (1989-2013) revealed substantial biases in coverage, including taxonomically, the locales where field studies were conducted, and in the topics investigated. Examination of the number of other publications that cited each paper revealed that 470 (45%) papers had been cited no more than 10 times, 249 (24%) had never been cited, and 112 (11%) were not even found in the Google Scholar database. The most heavily cited papers were molecular phylogenetic analyses that often used tissues from one or more species of armadillo but were not about the animals per se. Thus, it appears that research on armadillos is plagued by numerous gaps in coverage and is not reaching a wide audience. These data indicate obvious opportunities for future research. In addition, recent findings suggest that even relatively well-studied phenomena may require reexamination. Here, we review recent advances in the study of armadillos and highlight promising areas for future work. One critical need is for a thorough systematic revision of Dasypodidae to be completed. This will make it possible to prioritize those species and populations most in need of study. Additionally, more long-term field studies of populations of marked individuals are required. Although there are many important and interesting questions waiting to be answered, the small number of researchers currently conducting studies of armadillos, particularly in the wild, means that progress will be slow., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

Research on nuclear technologies has been largely driven by a detachment of the 'technical content' from the 'social context'. However, social studies of science and technology--also for the nuclear domain--emphasize that 'the social' and 'the technical' dimensions of technology development are inter-related and co-produced. In an effort to create links between nuclear research and innovation and society in mutually beneficial ways, the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre started fifteen years ago a 'Programme of Integration of Social Aspects into nuclear research' (PISA). In line with broader science-policy agendas (responsible research and innovation and technology assessment), this paper argues that the importance of such programmes is threefold. First, their multi-disciplinary basis and participatory character contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between science, technology and society, in general, and the complexity of nuclear technology assessment in particular. Second, their functioning as (self -)critical policy supportive research with outreach to society is an essential prerequisite for policies aiming at generating societal trust in the context of controversial issues related to nuclear technologies and exposure to ionising radiation. Third, such programmes create an enriching dynamic in the organisation itself, stimulating collective learning and transdisciplinarity. The paper illustrates with concrete examples these claims and concludes by discussing some key challenges that researchers face while engaging in work of this kind.

The present master thesis is an article-based dissertation, comprising two individual research papers and an introductory essay. Both papers correspond to a shared set of overarching aims: 1. To investigate the composition and state of archaeological epistemology, focusing on comparability and integration between sub-fields of the archaeological discipline. 2. To better understand the potential impact of the science/humanities-divide upon archaeological practice in publishing and applied epistemology in research strategies. These aims are mostly examined separately in the two papers. When put together, the main ambition is to provide a deeper understanding of the relation between the structure and properties of archaeological epistemology and diverse practice (within archaeology and in interdisciplinary cooperation), as influenced by the science/humanities-divide. "Measuring incommensurability: A bibliometric inquiry into what papers are presented in archaeological journals (2009-13), and the epistemic consequences" This paper presents the results of bibliometric analyzes conducted on a data set consisting of 926 archaeological papers. The data comprises all original research papers published in six top ranking archaeological journals in the period 2009-2013. The included journals are taken to represent different sub-fields in archaeology: Historical, anthropological, social, scientific, environmental and general archaeology. The aim is to map general features of archaeological publishing. Significant differences are identified amongst the journals on an array of parameters, covering journal statistics, citation network, thematic distribution, the application of methods and the direction of relevance to other sub-fields. Furthermore, the paper engages in an extended discussion over the epistemological consequences of the bibliometric results, focusing on disciplinary fragmentation, incommensurability, vagueness and the purported significance of the science/humanities-divide. "Identifying key factors affecting the two cultures -relation of archaeology – Outlining a common epistemological platform for archaeology and archaeometry" In relating to the debate over the nature of archaeology along the science/humanities-spectrum, this paper seeks to understand some epistemological challenges arising from integrating scientific methodologies with archaeology. The main objective is to evaluate what epistemological platform might integrate archaeology and archaeometry in interdisciplinary research projects, and how such a platform might provide productive interdisciplinary research strategies. Four epistemic factors at individual levels are examined, consisting of 1) communication, 2) specialization, 3) explanatory ideals and 4) uncertainty levels and types. A model of interdisciplinary research strategies is put forth in order to cope with these epistemic challenges. The opposing results of stable isotope analysis and faunal remains regarding diet during the Mesolithic/Neolithic-transition are presented as a case study, identifying general epistemological factors affecting the application of scientific methodologies in archaeology.

Context It is common practice worldwide for health professionals to study abroad. However, the outcome of such experience has not been rigorously evaluated in China. Our current study aimed to quantify the impact on research of studying abroad among Chinese health professionals. Methods A self-administered structured questionnaire was developed among health professionals in Harbin Medical University and its affiliated hospitals who had studied abroad (‘returning’ professionals) and health professionals who did not have experience abroad (‘resident’ professionals). 166 ‘returning’ professionals (Group A) and 166 age-, sex- and specialty-matched ‘resident’ professionals (Group B) were included in the study. SPSS software was used for data entry and analysis. Results The total IF of papers published by Group A and Group B was, respectively, 1933.52 and 629.23 (P 0.05). The total IF of papers published at home, and the number of NSFC had no relationship with the duration abroad (both P > 0.05) nor the age of going abroad (both P > 0.05). The total IF of papers published at home and the number of NSFC were positively correlated with the total IF of papers published abroad (both P

Introduction This paper explores definitions of death from the perspectives of several world and indigenous religions, with practical application for health care providers in relation to end of life decisions and organ and tissue donation after death. It provides background material on several traditions and explains how different religions derive their conclusions for end of life decisions from the ethical guidelines they proffer. Methods Research took several forms beginning with a review of books and articles written by ethicists and observers of Bön, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Indigenous Traditions, Islam, Judaism, Shinto and Taoism. It then examined sources to which these authors referred in footnotes and bibliographies. In addition, material was gathered through searches of data bases in religious studies, general humanities, social sciences and medicine along with web-based key word searches for current policies in various traditions. Results Religious traditions provide their adherents with explanations for the meaning and purpose of life and include ethical analysis for the situations in which their followers find themselves. This paper aims to increase cultural competency in practitioners by demonstrating the reasoning process religions use to determine what they believe to be the correct decision in the face of death. Conclusion Patterns emerge in the comparative study of religious perspectives on death. Western traditions show their rootedness in Judaism in their understanding of the human individual as a finite, singular creation. Although the many branches of Western religions do not agree on precisely how to determine death, they are all able to locate a moment of death in the body. In Eastern traditions personhood is not defined in physical terms. From prescribing the location of death, to resisting medical intervention and definitions of death, Eastern religions, in their many forms, incorporate the beliefs and practices that preceded them. Adding to the complexity for these traditions is the idea that death is a process that continues after the body has met most empirical criteria for determining death. For Hinduism and Buddhism, the cessation of heart, brain and lung function is the beginning of the process of dying—not the end.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed the healthcare landscape drastically. Stricken by sharp surges in morbidity and mortality with resource and manpower shortages confounding their efforts, the medical community has witnessed high rates of burnout and post-traumatic stress amongst themselves. Whilst the prevailing literature has offered glimpses into their professional war, no review thus far has collated the deeply personal reflections of physicians and ascertained how their self-concept, self-esteem and perceived self-worth has altered during this crisis. Without adequate intervention, this may have profound effects on their mental and physical health, personal relationships and professional efficacy.MethodsWith mentions of the coronavirus pervading social media by the millions, this paper set out to collate and thematically analyse social media posts containing first-person physician reflections on how COVID-19 affected their lives and their coping mechanisms. A consistent search strategy was employed and a PRISMA flowchart was used to map out the inclusion/exclusion criteria.ResultsA total of 590 social media posts were screened, 511 evaluated, and 108 included for analysis. Salient themes identified include Disruptions to Personal Psycho-Emotional State, Disruptions to Professional Care Delivery, Concern for Family, Response from Institution, Response from Society and Coping Mechanisms.ConclusionIt is evident that the distress experienced by physicians during this time has been manifold, multi-faceted and dominantly negative. Self-concepts were distorted with weakened self-esteem and perceived self-worth observed. The Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP) was adopted to explain COVID-19’s impact on physician personhood as it considers existential, individual, relational and social concepts of the self. These entwined self-concepts serve as ‘compensatory’ to one another, with coping mechanisms buffering and fortifying the physician’s overall personhood. With healthcare institutions playing a vital role in providing timely and targeted support, it was further proposed that a comprehensive assessment tool based on the RToP could be developed to detect at-risk physicians and evaluate the presence and effectiveness of established support structures.

BackgroundSocial media permeated everyday life and consequently it brought some changes to behaviour of health professionals. New form of professionalism emerged called e-professionalism depicting professional behaviour while using social media. There are a number of studies conducted in the past several years measuring behaviour of different populations of health professionals on social media and social media sites. Many studies have investigated aspects of e-professionalism of medical or dental students as future health professionals, but there are no validated instruments made for assessing attitude towards e-professionalism of those two populations. Objective of this paper is to validate a newly developed scale for measuring attitudes towards e-professionalism among medical and dental students.MethodsThe original 32-item scale was developed and administered to 411 medical students (RR 69%), and 287 dental students (RR 49.7%). Exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate the existence of underlying factors. Principal component analysis was used as an extraction method with oblimin as selected oblique rotation method. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess reliability.ResultsTotal of 698 student answers entered analysis. The final scale had 24 items that formed seven factors named: ethical aspects, dangers of social media, excluding physicians, freedom of choice, importance of professionalism, physicians in the digital age, negative consequences. Cronbach’s alpha indicating scale reliability was .72. Reliability conducted on each factor ranged from .570 to .877.ConclusionsThe scale measures seven factors of attitude towards e-professionalism and exhibits satisfactory reliability. Based on insights from validation, some possible improvements are suggested.

En el siguiente artículo presentamos la categoría-concepto de inscripciones curriculares, basada en experiencias previas de investigación en torno a la formación de grado en Trabajo Social. Para ello, partimos de explicitar los alcances de la noción de “investigación otra”. Luego trazamos una genealogía colectiva sobre dichas experiencias, que, desde nuestro punto de vista, sirvieron de fundamento, justificación y antecedente en la construcción de la mencionada categoría. Comenzamos con la discusión que Hermida (2016) propuso en torno a los discursos sobre Estado, Poder y Política en la formación académica en Trabajo Social en la Argentina. Esta investigación es significativa considerando que los aportes teóricos, epistemológicos y metodológicos surgidos ahí, orientaron las otras investigaciones. Continuamos con las contribuciones de la tesis de grado de Tiberi (2018), en la que analiza el pensamiento latinoamericano en la currícula de la formación de grado de Trabajo Social en la Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Luego, presentamos la problemática de los Feminismos del Sur en la formación profesional, a partir de la tesis de Roldán (2020), que se desarrolló en la Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Estas últimas dos investigaciones devinieron en la reformulación de los problemas de investigación que serán abordados a partir de su estudio a nivel nacional. En este sentido, lo compartido por estas tres experiencias es la pregunta por las vertientes del pensar situado en Trabajo Social. This paper presents a category-concept that we called “curricular inscriptions”. It based on the experience of research on the graduate training in Social Work. For that aim, we start by explaining the scope of the notion of “other research”. After which we show a genealogy with our experiences, that contributed to constructing the research problem around profesional training. We start with the discussion around the discourses about State, Power and Politics in the bachelor ́s degree of Social Work in Argentina. That research is very important because is the PhD thesis that founded the theoretical, epistemological and methodological guidelines that guided the other research. We continue with some contributions of the degree thesis by Tiberi, who analyzes Latin America thought included in the curriculum of the degree training at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Then, we present the degree thesis by Roldán, in that work she explicit the issue of the Southern Feminism in the graduate program. So, the similitudes between those experience is to thought in the different meaning of situated knowledge. Fil: Hermida, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Fil: Tiberi, Renzo. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Argentina. Fil: Roldán, Yanina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina.

Objective To quantify the use of question marks in titles of published studies. Design and setting Literature review. Participants All Pubmed publications between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013 with an available abstract. Papers were classified as being clinical when the search terms clin*, med* or patient* were found anywhere in the paper’s title, abstract or the journal’s name. Other papers were considered controls. As a verification, clinical journals were compared to non-clinical journals in two different approaches. Also, 50 highest impact journals were explored for publisher group dependent differences. Main outcome measure Total number of question marks in titles. Results A total of 368,362 papers were classified as clinical and 596,889 as controls. Clinical papers had question marks in 3.9% (95% confidence interval 3.8–4.0%) of titles and other papers in 2.3% (confidence interval 2.3–2.3%; p Conclusion We found more question marks in titles of clinical papers than in other papers. This could suggest that clinicians often have a question-driven approach to research and scientists in more fundamental research a hypothesis-driven approach. An alternative explanation is that clinicians like catchy titles. Publishing groups might have pro- and anti-question mark policies.

Sex differences in risk seeking behaviour, emergency hospital admissions, and mortality are well documented. However, little is known about sex differences in idiotic risk taking behaviour. This paper reviews the data on winners of the Darwin Award over a 20 year period (1995-2014). Winners of the Darwin Award must eliminate themselves from the gene pool in such an idiotic manner that their action ensures one less idiot will survive. This paper reports a marked sex difference in Darwin Award winners: males are significantly more likely to receive the award than females (P

Bei der Vorbereitung und Durchführung von Forschungsprojekten spielen auch ethische Gesichtspunkte eine Rolle: Forschung sollte möglichst weder für Teilnehmende an Forschungsprojekten noch für die Gesellschaft negative Folgen haben. Zunehmend werden durch nationale und internationale wissenschaftliche Zeitschriften Nachweise über eine forschungsethische Begutachtung gefordert. Eine in der 7. Berufungsperiode des RatSWD neu eingesetzte "Arbeitsgruppe Forschungsethik" hat im Frühjahr 2021 eine bundesweite systematische Erhebung bei mehr als 1000 Forschenden verschiedener Statusgruppen aus vom RatSWD vertretenen Disziplinen durchgeführt, um deren Unterstützungsbedarfe für die forschungsethische Begutachtung ihrer Forschungsvorhaben zu ermitteln. Die Auswertung ergab, dass mehr als 60 Prozent der Befragten einen regelmäßigen oder gelegentlichen Bedarf für eine forschungsethische Begutachtung hat. Überwiegend können sich diese Forschenden auch an für sie zuständige Ethikkommissionen wenden, wobei dies fachspezifisch sehr variiert: Aus dem Bereich Psychologie können sich 90 Prozent der Befragten an eine Ethikkommission wenden, in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften bzw. dem Bereich der Kulturwissenschaften, Ethnologie und Religionswissenschaften sind es lediglich 53 bzw. 60 Prozent. Als unterstützend für den Aufbau von Ethikkommissionen wurden in erster Linie Vorlagen und Beispiele für den Begutachtungsprozess beurteilt, aber auch formale Informationen, z. B. zur personellen Zusammensetzung einer Kommission, zur Ausarbeitung einer möglichen Geschäftsordnung oder zu grundlegenden Fragen von Begutachtungsrelevanz von Forschung oder Entscheidungskriterien von Kommissionen. Sofern bereits Ethikkommissionen etabliert sind, wünschen sich Forschende Vorlagen und Unterlagen für die Erstellung von Anträgen sowie Informationen zu Begutachtungsprozessen. Auch datenschutzrechtliche Aspekte wurden thematisiert, die in Ergänzung zu forschungsethischen Fragen zu beachten sind. Die Ergebnisse der Bedarfsermittlung bilden eine wesentliche Grundlage für die weitere Arbeit des RatSWD im Bereich Forschungsethik.

To determine factors and barriers associated with scholarly activity among faculty members at urology residency programs in the United States.An online survey was sent to all 134 urology residency program directors. The survey assessed program characteristics including size, location and definition of scholarly activity. It assessed available support for and barriers to resident scholarly activity, faculty participation in scholarly activity and mentorship of residents. Linear regression analysis was used.We had a 40% response rate (N = 40). Faculty attitudes toward conducting scholarly activity (P.001) and lack of a research curriculum (P = .05) were barriers to the outcome 'participation in scholarly activity'. Faculty attitudes toward conducting scholarly activity was also a barrier to the outcomes 'mentorship of residents' (P = .004) and 'publication of at least 1 paper' (P = .004). Available statistician was positively associated with the outcomes 'publications' (P = .062) and 'presentations' (P = .032). A minimum requirement of a local presentation (P=0.04) and chairman support (P = .015) were positively associated with the outcome 'presentation at a conference.'Training residents in research matters for the resident, the institution and future generations of surgeon scientists. Higher levels of faculty scholarly activity were associated with a minimum requirement for residents to submit a manuscript for publication, strong chairman support for resident research, and the availability of a statistician. A common barrier to faculty scholarly activity, publications, and resident mentorship was faculty attitudes toward resident scholarly activity. Urology residency programs seeking to prioritize scholarly activity among faculty should consider these factors.

espanolRESUMEN Este trabajo pretende conocer el impacto que los tratamientos basados en la evidencia (TBE) ejercen sobre la psicologia aplicada, asi como los factores que podrian estar relacionados con dicho impacto. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 242 psicologos formados en Espana, a los que se les administro un cuestionario ad hoc constituido por preguntas que recogian informacion acerca de determinadas variables sociodemograficas y sobre el uso o conocimiento de los TBE para los trastornos mentales en poblacion adulta. Los resultados senalan que, a excepcion de las terapias cognitivo-conductuales, el impacto de los tratamientos basados en la evidencia es limitado, pudiendo influir en dicho impacto el tipo de acreditacion profesional y los anos de experiencia clinica. Los hallazgos de este estudio apoyan la idea de que los resultados de la investigacion no se implementan ni consolidan del todo en los ambitos aplicados. EnglishABSTRACT This paper aims to know the impact of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) on applied psychology, as well as the factors that could be related to this impact. The sample consisted of 242 psychologists trained in Spain, who were administered an ad hoc questionnaire consisting of questions that gathered information about certain sociodemographic variables and about the use or knowledge of EBTs for mental disorders in adults. The results indicate that, with the exception of cognitive-behavioral therapies, the impact of EBTs is limited, and the professional accreditation and the years of clinical experience may influence this impact. The findings of this study support the idea that the results of the research are not fully consolidated in applied areas.

espanolEl objetivo del presente articulo es ofrecer una perspectiva historica de investigaciones sobre cocaismo y alimentacion en el hombre andino durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX. El habito del cocaismo fue considerado un importante problema de salud del Peru en los 40s, cuando el debate academico planteaba asociacion entre deficiente alimentacion y cocaismo, atribuidos a la cocaina. Anos despues, estudios epidemiologicos apoyaron este paradigma. Desde los 70s, publicaciones antropologicas cuestionaron esta asociacion y defendieron el uso social de la coca. En los anos 80 se demostraron efectos farmacologicos de la coca y cocaina en la reduccion del consumo de alimentos en animales de experimentacion, que apoyaron la antigua hipotesis de Gutierrez-Noriega. EnglishThe objective of this paper is to offer a historical perspective about the scientific investigations respect to the chewing of coca leaves and food ingestion of the Andean population during the second half of the twentieth century. The habit of cocaism, attributed to cocaine, was discussed one of the most important problems of Public Health in Peru during the 40s, period when the academic debate of the association of deficient food and cocaism was discussed. Years later, epidemiological studies supported this paradigm; however, since the 70s, anthropological reports questioned that claim and defended the social use of coca chewing. During the 80s the pharmacological effects of coca and cocaine were demonstrated in reduction of food consumption in experimental animals, which supported the old Gutierrez-Noriega s hypothesis.

Background Vertigo and dizziness (VD) are among the most frequently seen symptoms in clinics and are important for medical students, especially for those in Chinese standardized residency training (SRT). The aim of our study was to examine the PAL method’s feasibility in the clinical teaching of VD-related diseases for SRT students in China. Methods This is a randomized, controlled, multicenter study. A total of 228 residents were invited to participate in this study, of which 198 completed the program. The students were randomized into two groups, and VD-related diseases were taught using lecture-based learning (control group) or peer-assisted learning (PAL). An examination paper and a rating scale were used to evaluate students’ performance in the mastery of VD-related theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, meanwhile students’ perceptions, satisfaction, and risk of burnout were also analyzed using a questionnaire. Independent-samples t-test and chi-square analysis were performed to evaluate statistical significance for continuous variables and categorical variables, respectively, using SPSS 18.0 software. Results The PAL group performed better in mastering theoretical knowledge and clinical skills than the control group. And more students believed that PAL could help improve their personal qualities such as teamwork skills. However, more students reported that PAL increased the risk of burnout. Conclusions PAL was a suitable and effective method in the clinical teaching of some specialized diseases, especially it was recommended for students who had gained initial knowledge and skills, such as Chinese SRT students. However, we should draw attention to the increased risk of burnout if PAL is intended to be widely used in clinical teaching. Trial registration ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN53773239, 05/07/2021, retrospectively registered.

Funder: NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013373, Background: Research nurses, midwives and allied health professionals are members of an important emergent profession delivering clinical research and, in the United Kingdom, have been the focus of considerable investment by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). This paper considers the experiences of research nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in relation to professional identity work, recognizing these are coproduced alongside others that they interact with (including patients, clinical staff and other research staff). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in the UK about their experiences of working in research delivery. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically coded and analysed. Results: Our analysis highlights how research nurses, midwives and allied health professionals adjust to new roles, shift their professional identities and undertake identity work using uniforms, name badges and job titles as they negotiate complex identities. Conclusions: Research nurses, midwives and allied health professionals experience considerable challenges as they enter and transition to a research delivery role, with implications for their sense of professional identities. A change in the work that they undertake and how they are (or perceive they are) viewed by others (including clinical non-research colleagues and patients) has implications for their sense of professional and individual identity. The tensions involved extend to their views on symbols of professional identity, such as uniforms, and as they seek to articulate and demonstrate the value of their conjoined role in research and as a healthcare professional, within the unfolding landscape of health research. We embed our study findings in the context of the newly emerging clinical research practitioner workforce, which further exacerbates and complicates the role and identity complexity for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in research delivery.

Delivering well-coordinated care is essential for optimizing clinical outcomes, enhancing patient care experiences, minimizing costs, and increasing provider satisfaction. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) has built a strong foundation for internally coordinating care. However, VA faces mounting internal care coordination challenges due to growth in the number of Veterans using VA care, high complexity in Veterans’ care needs, the breadth and depth of VA services, and increasing use of virtual care. VA’s Health Services Research and Development service with the Office of Research and Development held a conference assessing the state-of-the-art (SOTA) on care coordination. One workgroup within the SOTA focused on coordination between VA providers for high-need Veterans, including (1) Veterans with multiple chronic conditions; (2) Veterans with high-intensity, focused, specialty care needs; (3) Veterans experiencing care transitions; (4) Veterans with severe mental illness; (5) and Veterans with homelessness and/or substance use disorders. We report on this workgroup’s recommendations for policy and organizational initiatives and identify questions for further research. Recommendations from a separate workgroup on coordinating VA and non-VA care are contained in a companion paper. Leaders from research, clinical services, and VA policy will need to partner closely as they develop, implement, assess, and spread effective practices if VA is to fully realize its potential for delivering highly coordinated care to every Veteran.

espanolEl siguiente escrito es una reflexion critica del modo en que hoy en el mundo se concibe el ejercicio investigativo institucional (academico): muerte de todo pensar serio, facultad de juzgar castrada; en oposicion al quehacer del investi-gador visceral, que opera desde el sentir, el vivir, el experimentar, desde lo otro, con lo otro, para lo otro. Paradojicamente la primera accion se lleva a cabo en oposicion terrible a todo proceso de reflexion organico, vivo, sentido, entre una alteridad viviente y un academicismo formal comercial, evidentemente mercantil: hacer investigacion para puntuar en los registros calificados de toda universi-dad. En cambio la segunda accion puede circundar en la nada del anonimato de personas serias que conciben la investigacion como un ejercicio pasional, de encuentro con el otro, lo otro y para hacer emerger algo. Hoy la universidad es una empresa de compra y venta de saber. Todo saber se ha vuelto prostitucion legitimada de conocimiento.La metodologia que ha animado este escrito es la deconstructiva, accion que se llevara a cabo sobre la tematizacion del ejercicio academico de lo que se concibe como investigar. Se concluira que la investigacion no es un mero un ejercicio academico institucional y se optara por presentarla mas como un ejercicio re-lacional de co-construccion con algo. EnglishThe following is a critical reflection of the way in which today, in the world, the exercise of institutional (academic) research is conceived: the death of all serious thinking, the ability to judge castrated; in opposition to the task of the visceral researcher, from feeling, living, experiencing, from the other, with the other, for the other. Paradoxically, the first action is carried out, terribly, in opposition to any process of organic reflection, alive, meaning, between a living alterity and a formal commercial academicism, evidently commercial: to do research to score in the qualified records of every university. While the second action can surround the nothingness of the anonymity of serious people who conceive of research as a passionate exercise, of encounter with the other, the other and to make something emerge. Today, the university is a knowledge buying and selling company. All knowledge has become legitimated prostitution of knowledge.The methodology that has animated this paper is the deconstructive, action that will be carried out on the theming of the academic exercise of what is conceived as research. In this it will be concluded that the research is not a mere institutional academic exercise, and it is chosen to present it more as a relational exercise of co-construction with something