Academic Science Research Articles

Comparison of electrodiagnostic findings in acute traumatic versus chronic non-traumatic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

A common concept is that traumatic nerve injuries are more likely axonal, and that compressive neuropathies are more likely demyelinating. The purpose of this study was to compare traumatic versus non-traumatic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) to look for electrodiagnostic differences between the two groups. A retrospective 3 year review of UNE patients at two academic health science centers was conducted. Patients were grouped into acute traumatic UNE versus chronic non-traumatic UNE based on clinical history. Electrodiagnostic measurements were compared between the two groups. There were 50 subjects with acute traumatic UNE and 41 with chronic non-traumatic UNE. Mean age and sex distribution were similar but those with traumatic UNE had a 7 month duration of symptoms, while those with chronic UNE had 29 month duration (p < .001). All electrodiagnostic measurements were similar between the two groups including compound muscle action potential amplitudes, motor conduction velocities, frequency of conduction block, sensory nerve studies, and needle electromyography. We did not find a difference between the two groups. One should not make inferences regarding acuity or etiology based on electrodiagnostic features alone.

The Effect of Using Critical Reading in 5th Grade Science on Students’ Academic Achievement, Science Performance and Creativity

This study examined the effect of using critical reading in scientific texts on students’ academic achievement, science performance level and creativity. The study was conducted with 5th grade students in Ereğli, Zonguldak during the 2017-2018 academic year. The study group consisted of a total of 34 students, 17 in the experimental group and 17 in the control group. Activities based on critical reading were carried out with the experimental group, whereas traditional activities from the 5th grade science curriculum were employed with the control group. The “Multiple Choice Academic Achievement Test”, the “Science Performance Level Test” and the “Torrance Test of Creative Thinking” were administered to both groups as a pre-test prior to the study and as a post-test once the study was completed. The data were analyzed with the dependent and independent samples t-Test using the SPSS package program. The study results revealed a significant difference in science performance level and creativity between the experimental and control groups favoring the experimental group. However, there was no significant difference in academic achievement between the experimental and control groups. Critical reading practices can be used in science lessons to improve students’ high-level skills, and critical reading activities can be developed alongside scientific texts for multiple grade levels.

The role of academic health science systems in the transformation of dentistry: The Singapore experience.

Clinicians and researchers have traditionally worked in independent silos, with limited collaboration to rapidly translate discovery into clinical practice. At institutional level, hospitals and universities have also tended to work independently with limited success in leveraging each other's strengths with a view to improving population health. The consequences include fragmentation of clinical services, poor communication between researchers and clinicians, lengthy delays in identification of clinical problems requiring innovative solutions through research and a generation of clinicians who are not well equipped with all the skills to address future health needs. Academic Health Science Systems (AHSS) have been proposed as a mechanism for driving effective collaboration between academia and clinical services. There are examples of well established AHSS and the benefits have been articulated. In Singapore, three AHSS have been established over the past 15 years. National dental specialty centres and one dental school have been embedded in AHSS and have well established multi-disciplinary collaboration across clinical and academic domains. The aim of this commentary is to describe the concept of an AHSS and some of the areas where dentistry in Singapore has been transformed by having key dental institutions embedded in an AHSS.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE SCIENCEREADY PREPARATORY SHORT COURSE ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Starting university can be a daunting experience representing a big adjustment for first year students. Facilitating a smooth transition to university sets students up for successful degree completion; however, if students struggle or become disengaged, they can underperform or drop out completely. An early support system, the 'ScienceReady' short course has been designed to assist with the transition to university study for nursing and midwifery students. It has been designed to provide essential academic skills and foundational science knowledge, reduce anxiety, and assist in the formation of early friendship groups, with the overall aim to improve student success. As well as improving background knowledge, the course also allows students to visit laboratories, meet staff and interact with their peers. Despite its scope, we knew little about the impact of attending ScienceReady on later academic outcomes. This study assessed the impact of ScienceReady attendance on first-year academic success, providing evidence for the importance of early support systems in tertiary success.

From Academic Design Science Research to Start-up: Building a Digital Platform Ecosystem to Promote a Sustainable Knowledge Co-Creating Community

As the new digital era is accompanied by accelerating change, people as well as institutions need to adapt and transform. Crucial for their success is how well leaders can cultivate the absorption and sharing of knowledge as a resource and its integration into the organisational endeavours. Innovative system designs may prove vital to providing crucial support.&#x0D; Based on a prior academic design science research project and published outputs, a recently established start-up aims to create a digital community platform for knowledge co-creation to serve members with diverse ambitions and potentials in their personal and collaborative contexts. The digital platform ecosystem follows a novel knowledge management approach by favouring personalization, mobility, generativity, and entropy reduction. How to sustainably address the inherent system complexities and scaling needs in an entrepreneurial environment known for short iterative cycles of minimum viable developments have proven to be an expected challenge, closely followed by the limited power of academic detail and lingo to create enthusiasm in start-up spaces where attention slots are measured in pitch decks and elevator rides.&#x0D; This paper looks at this particular case and at the lessons learnt in the transition phase from academia to a business incubation space and, hence, aims to contribute to the discourse between scholars, practitioners, and clients on how digital entrepreneurship and innovation spaces may be best served for mutual benefit.

Researching the Gap: Women in Latin American Political Science

This paper maps the gender balance in the discipline of political science in Latin America by examining data from 16 countries where we could find the number of female professors in political science departments (over 100 departments) as well as from 69 journals publishing political science research in Latin America and from 16 Latin Americanist journals in Canada, the United States, and Europe. We compare the proportion of female political science faculty members to the proportion of women serving as editors and as members of editorial and advisory committees for relevant academic journals. We find that a significant gender gap remains, both in political science departments and in journals, and that the gender gap is worse in journals based in Latin America than in those based outside the region.

The ReFiBot makers guide: Fostering academic open science and circularity with a robotic educational kit

The advent of robotics in schools and universities curricula are preparing students to encompass new didactic fields. This article presents ReFiBot which is an education robot that has been used to increase the technical literacy on robotics and bring more awareness to open science at Wageningen University. The ReFiBot combines open-source hardware and software, integrated with a chassis made from recycled plastic from fishnets. The ReFiBot was carefully designed to be easily assembled with off-the-shelf electronic parts and programmed using the Arduino IDE. Moreover, a software library is facilitated to ease its adoption in educational activities from any curricula level. The ReFiBot has been mainly used for education but can also be used for research on swarm robotics. The CAD files, components list, software files, and tutorial within this contribution will guide the reader through the assemblage and best practices of this circular robotics kit.

The Role of Competitive Project-Based Funding in the Commodification of Academic Research: A Marxist Analysis

The current growth of competitive project-based funding (CPBF) as a funding instrument for academic science reveals that public funding plays a critical role in the spreading of the capitalist relations of production in academia. However, this issue has not been properly addressed in the extant literature. This paper examines CPBF in the light of the determinations of capitalist relations of production captured by the Marxist notion of ‘formal subsumption of labour under capital’. It will then show that CPBF mediates commodity-based productive relations between funding agencies and academic institutions, and that the latter are, in turn, premised on the separation of academic labour from the objective conditions of knowledge production. It will be also demonstrated how CPBF reproduces and deepens that split, leading from the partial to the complete formal subsumption of academic labour under capital. Our analysis challenges the assumption that increased public funding will put to a halt the commodification of academia and academic research.

Misconceiving Merit: Paradoxes of Excellence and Devotion in Academic Science and Engineering

Misconceiving Merit: Paradoxes of Excellence and Devotion in Academic Science and Engineering

Symmachia basilissa basilissa Bates, 1868 (Riodinidae: Symmachiini) has been photographed while alive for the first time, uncovering a new record and shedding light on its conservation aspects

This work reports the first photographic record of the Symmachia basilissa basilissa Bates, 1868 subspecies, a butterfly originally described by Henry Walter Bates in 1868. This subspecies had only been recorded three before but had never been photographed alive in Brazil. The photograph was taken in the Chapada das Mesas National Park, located in the southern part of the state of Maranhão. This record was uploaded and georeferenced on the iNaturalist app/website. The taxon Symmachia basilissa comprises four subspecies, and the article provides information on the morphological differences between them. We also discuss the use of iNaturalist and similar tools to integrate academic and citizen science for a better understanding of biodiversity, especially in tropical regions and areas that are difficult to access. Overall, our work makes a valuable contribution to the knowledge of this data deficient butterfly species and highlights the importance of utilizing new technologies and collaborative approaches to advance scientific research.

Faculty publication trends in a Japanese national university: a diachronic document analysis

BackgroundWe previously demonstrated that in a Japanese national university’s medical faculty, overall paper publication frequency increased between 1979–1980 and 2017–2018, while original paper publication did not increase. Further, publication language changed from predominantly Japanese to English. However, whether these trends are specific to medicine or representative of other faculties remains unclear.MethodsWe diachronically analyzed annual university library-produced publication reports for four pharmaceutical and three medical units between 1979–1980 and 2019–2020, elucidating how publication frequency, type, and language medium changed.ResultsAll publication types increased for the pharmaceutical faculty, from 2.87 per faculty member per year to 10.77. Publication of original papers more than doubled, from 1.06 per faculty member per year to 2.37. This increase was exclusively in English publication, with no publication of Japanese original papers in 2019–2020. This contrasts with medicine, which, while it demonstrated similar increases in all publication types combined, from 4.92 papers per faculty member per year to 12.78, did not demonstrate as striking an increase in total original paper publication (English and Japanese), from 1.21 papers per faculty member per year to 1.30. However, these two faculties observed similar trends in that English largely replaced Japanese original paper publication. That both faculties’ Japanese original paper publication decreased suggests English language original paper publication comes at the expense of publishing in Japanese. Concerning both faculties together, the increase in publishing frequency for all publication types more than tripled from 4.01 to 12.38. This was largely driven by changes in conference paper publication for the pharmaceutical sciences faculty, where English publication increased 2,775% (0.06 to 1.7 papers per faculty member per year) and Japanese language publication 258% (1.33 to 4.77). While conference paper publication did increase for the medical sciences, its change in total publication frequency was largely driven by ‘other’ types of publication, which increased from 0.51 publications per faculty member per year in 1979–1980 to 5.41 in 2019–2020, largely driven by Japanese language publication.ConclusionIn 2019–2020, pharmaceutical sciences faculty members largely published original papers in English, so postgraduate education should consider the future likelihood of graduates needing to publish in English.

Claiming Universal Epistemic Authority – Relational Boundary Work and the Academic Institutionalization of Data Science

Abstract This article studies the rise of academic data science in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. By focusing on the boundary work that accompanies this development, we try to understand current transformations in knowledge production within digital academia and beyond. Drawing on qualitative interviews with data science scholars, we identify five lines of demarcation in claiming universal epistemic authority. This boundary work is characterized by multiple tensions and varies depending upon context and counterpart, making it inherently relational.

Towards an Understanding of Eco-Justice and its Related Principles and Interventions that can Advance Environmental Justice

Deep ecology considers the ecosystem as a living whole with humanity only one part of this whole (O’Donnell, 2015). There is growing concern regarding environmental problems that are challenging human and environmental well-being. Current social, health and environmental damage warrants the consideration of eco-justice as a paradigm that can potentially advance environmental preservation. Drawing on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, with Health Science academics and students at a University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal, this study sought to inquire how they understand eco-justice, the principles underpinning ecojustice and what eco-justice projects could be initiated amongst tertiary students to preserve the environment. Eco-justice was found to relate to the need to care for and preserve ecosystems, by reducing over consumption and the overuse of natural resources. Of significance was that participants supported the need for projects related to cleaning the oceans, planting trees and crops and recycling to advance the eco-justice mandate. Keywords: eco-justice, academics, students, health, South Africa

A one-health approach to using sheep in research, with a focus on neuroscience studies

Sheep have been an important animal for both academic and basic sciences education, with a positive impact on the public health sector and, subsequently, One Health. This review presents the impact of sheep on research with a specific focus on neuroscience studies. Disorders, as well as neuroendocrine and environmental factors affecting the brain, the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, are selected, and relevant research and sheep models mimicking human diseases are described. The review discusses various sheep models, encompassing prion, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (Batten Disease), along with ischemic stroke. Sheep play a pivotal role in elucidating the pathogenesis and/or treatment for the aforementioned diseases. Furthermore, this research is underpinned by solid neuroanatomy knowledge. Consequently, we outline the main reasons why sheep are such robust research models. In conclusion, we demonstrate the important role that sheep models fulfill in advancing the mission of the One Health Initiative.

Including Rural America in academic conservation science

Including Rural America in academic conservation science

Specific initial training standards are needed to dive for science in Europe, Occupational vs. Citizen Science Diving

Today, collaboration between scientific research and civil society is growing significantly. The general public’s curiosity drives it to engage with the scientific process and culture and in the search for solutions to complex issues (economic, social, health, environmental, cultural, educational, or ethical). Clarification is needed to differentiate between occupational scientific activity and citizen-based science. They do not require the same scientific and technical skills despite using similar equipment and their legal and administrative frameworks being totally different. The confusion created by the indiscriminate use of the same term “scientific diving” to refer to different training courses and activities compromises the quality of existing occupational standards and, ultimately, has a negative impact on the safety of the activity at work. A clear definition of Citizen Scientific Diving and Occupational Scientific Diving makes it possible to differentiate between the objectives and target groups of these two activities and their legal framework. There is a need to establish an accepted and shared standard in the occupational field and to ensure the mobility of scientists. A long process undertaken by a motivated scientific community (late 1980s-2000s) led to the establishment of European initial training standards for Occupational Scientific Diving through the ESDP-European Scientific Diving Panel (firstly under the aegis of the European Marine Board, now of the MARS-European marine stations network). The quality and general acceptance of these standards by a large part of the European scientific community have already adopted them in the occupational health and safety legislation of seven European countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the UK in 2023). Adopting them in other countries’ health and safety legislation is still desirable. This will increase their recognition, acceptance and use for the benefit of scientific work. Building bridges between academic science and non-academic citizen science is possible and this is done by developing coherent projects that produce results that benefit both science and society. While distinguishing between the two, as an added value, this approach could better guide the recreational diving training sector in developing a new market.

Structure and associations of science vocabulary, general academic vocabulary, and science knowledge

We examined the structure of domain-specific academic science vocabulary, general academic vocabulary, and conceptual science knowledge and their impact on each other across two measurement points in a sample of 388 German third graders. Results show that the three constructs can be empirically differentiated. The high latent correlation between science vocabulary and general academic vocabulary suggests that science vocabulary is a language-related rather than a knowledge-related construct. Furthermore, science knowledge and science vocabulary predicted each other. By contrast, general academic vocabulary was only associated with science vocabulary but not with science knowledge acquisition. Neither science knowledge nor science vocabulary predicted general academic vocabulary at the end of the school year, suggesting it might be less sensitive to regular instruction.

A Qualitative Examination of Science Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development and Refinement

In recent years there has been a movement towards offering interdisciplinary curricula within higher education. While there are numerous benefits associated with interdisciplinary learning, the disciplinarily focused structure and culture of higher education can constrain interdisciplinary activities, and the challenges associated with developing this type of learning experience have been less researched. Given that faculty are key figures in organizational change and curriculum development, this study sought to understand faculty members’ perspectives on interdisciplinary curriculum development and refinement, including their perceptions of what constitutes an interdisciplinary program, the value associated with interdisciplinarity, and the challenges they have experienced developing and/or refining interdisciplinary programs. Faculty members from the Faculty of Science at a mid-sized university in the province of Ontario, Canada were interviewed, and these data were subjected to a content analysis. Faculty perceived interdisciplinary academic programs as including a collection of courses that offer a combination of knowledge from different disciplines; however, only a few participants identified the integration of knowledge from different areas of study as key to interdisciplinarity. Participants perceived that interdisciplinary learning was important for students to develop diverse, but not necessarily integrated, skillsets. Challenges related to interdisciplinary curriculum development and refinement included navigating institutional structures and collaborating with other academic units. Suggestions for navigating interdisciplinary curriculum development are discussed.

Mental health treatment programs for children and young people in secure settings: A systematic review

BackgroundWhile there are mental health treatment programs for children and young people in secure settings (i.e., secure treatment programs) in many countries, there is a lack of transparency and consistency across these that causes confusion for stakeholders and challenges for the design and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based programs. This systematic review addresses two questions: What do mental health treatment programs for children and young people in secure community settings look like across jurisdictions? What is the evidence underlying the various components of these programs?MethodsTwelve databases were searched in November 2021: CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Academic Search Complete, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Google Scholar, OpenDOAR, and GreyLit.org. To be included, publications had to be empirical literature or a report on mental health treatment within a secure setting for people under the age of 25; contain pre-identified keywords; be based on a research or evaluation study conducted since 2000; and be assessed as low risk of bias using an adaptation of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist. The systematic review included 63 publications. Data were collected and analyzed in NVivo qualitative software using a coding framework.ResultsThere are secure treatment programs in Australia, Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, England and Wales, Scotland, and the United States. Although there are inconsistencies across programs in terms of the systems in which they are embedded, client profiles, treatments provided, and lengths of stays, most share commonalities in their governance, definitions, designs, and intended outcomes.ConclusionsThe commonalities across secure treatment programs appear to stem from them being designed around a need for treatment that includes a mental disorder, symptom severity and salience involving significant risk of harm to self and/or others, and a proportionality of the risks and benefits of treatment. Most share a common logic; however, the evidence suggested that this logic may not to lead to sustained outcomes. Policymakers, service providers, and researchers could use the offered recommendations to ensure the provision of high-quality secure treatment programming to children and young people with serious and complex mental health needs.

Адаптация науки к новым условиям деятельности: стратегии и оценки научным сообществом (1990-е – первая половина 2000-х гг.)

The article describes the dramatic period in the history of Russian science associated with the transition to the post-Soviet period of its existence. There are two types of sources as the empirical basis of the analysis. The first is official materials (speeches by the leaders of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, concepts and development programs, reports on the activities of the Branch). Such materials describe the main trends in the development of the official strategy of the Branch for work in the new conditions. The second is the results of mass sociological studies conducted among researchers of the Novosibirsk Scientific Center in 1996 and 2004, which made it possible to identify the dynamics of adaptation processes at the personal, everyday, routine level. We conclude that despite the relative stabilization, including the growth of funding and the consolidation of the number of researchers, academic science still relied primarily on state support, it was not possible to build a market-oriented science. Under such conditions, a radical reform of the methods of managing academic science, primarily its property complex, became only a matter of time.