Scientific Community Research Articles

Participation With Compensation: Ethical Considerations for Research Payment Practices With People Who Are Incarcerated.

The participation of incarcerated individuals in research is necessary to appropriately address the health disparities that affect them and to adapt and implement health services for the carceral setting. Incarceration significantly impacts health, leading to negative outcomes including accelerated aging and increased mortality, with these effects disproportionately impacting communities of color. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Human Research Protections outlines ethical approaches to compensating individuals who participate in research activities, yet lacks specific guidance for payment within carceral settings. Historical abuses in carceral research underscore the persistent need for robust protections for incarcerated research participants. Existing regulations offer some protection but inadequately address ethical payment practices. Substantial variability in payment policies across carceral systems and vague national guidelines pose ethical challenges in ensuring equitable treatment for incarcerated research participants. We outline the ethical concerns related to compensating incarcerated individuals for participating in research and present a framework of approaches to payment. We argue for payment parity between incarcerated and community research participants. More community-engaged research is needed to understand the perspectives of incarcerated individuals on ethical payment.

Adapting, expanding and embedding community and culture into health ecosystems

Abstract Background Community anchor organisations (CAOs) work with communities who experience health inequalities and disadvantage, providing a range of activities and services to meet individuals’ needs in an integrated way. This study explored how CAOs use art, cultural and nature-based activities as part of their work to respond to the needs of people facing inequalities and considered how activities can be scaled in this health setting. Methods This study used community-based participatory research within a case study approach to work with four purposively sampled CAOs. Participants were community members, volunteers, staff, trustees, partner organisations and commissioners. Data collection methods included: document analysis, interviews (n = 45), workshops (n = 5) and focus groups (n = 11). This study was also supported by data collected by trained community researchers (n = 18). Framework analysis was conducted for within- and cross-case analysis. Results In the context of CAOs, the delivery of art, cultural and nature-based activities were found to be an important mechanism for developing trusted relationships with marginalised groups, who may lack trust in statutory services and health focused activities. Other facilitators to community engagement were the CAOs’ longevity, localness and co-location of services within a trusted and familiar place that connect people to personalised support. Barriers to scaling up included funding models as well as insufficient dialogue and understanding between CAOs and the local public health ecosystem. Conclusions CAOs have long term trusted relationships with disadvantaged communities and are influential in connecting individuals with projects and services. Findings suggest that the effectiveness of action to address inequality through art, cultural and nature-based activities could be improved if the role of CAOs was recognised more coherently in place-based public health plans. Key messages • Creative activities enable meaningful engagement with disadvantaged groups within place-based settings. • CAOs must be recognised more coherently in place-based strategies to reduce health inequalities.

Perception of antibiotics in Polish Internet during the infection season 2023/2024

Aim. Public health researchers have used the Internet for disease surveillance, the assessment of risk perception and behaviour changes during epidemics in the past. Cur- rently, investigations of antibiotics (ABx) mentions and the closely related concept of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on the Internet are mostly limited to information retrieval as well as simple analysis of Google Trends and media narratives. Methods. To address these shortcomings, we perform media listening and analysis for monitoring of ABx perception in the Polish segment of the Internet during November and December 2023 with Brand24 – a comprehensive Internet analysis tool – based on 2668 mentions. Results. Although the scientific community is aware of the importance of AMR, it was not reflected by the general public perception. Real life examples of public engagement related to practical solutions – such as natural and alternative medicine, and ABx acqui- sition with special focus on children among others – dominated the Internet discourse. Conclusion. Our findings demonstrate that while the interest in health topics in the general Polish population is high, it is often not matched by a sound biomedical literacy. A long-term patient engagement could be difficult, as they tend to think from an indi- vidual perspective (how to help myself/my family/my companion animal) rather than in the context of public health and one health.

Social Marketing Strategy for Social Care Programs for Victims of Human Trafficking Crimes

This study aimed to determine the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes by identifying the reality, mechanisms, challenges, and proposals for activating social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. The research is descriptive research that aims to describe the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. In line with the type of research, the researcher relied on the social survey method with a sample, which is one of the most appropriate methods for descriptive research. The research community was represented by officials in the department of combating human trafficking crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and in shelter centers in the kingdom's regions. The research sample was determined by a simple random sample of officials in the Department of Combating Human Trafficking Crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and shelter centers in the kingdom's regions, consisting of 121 individuals. The research results confirmed that The challenges of social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes were represented in: interest in superficial advertising aspects of social marketing, lack of marketing skills among those in charge of social marketing programs, lack of good planning for social marketing programs, and poor training of workers in the field of social marketing. The proposals to activate social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes represented: interest in conducting social surveys to determine the needs of victims, building a specialized department in social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes, interest in realistic advertising aspects of social marketing, and measuring victims’ satisfaction with the programs scientifically provided to them.

Identifying critical self-regulated learning skills: a Delphi process study

ABSTRACT Background and Context Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are critical aspect of learning to program and are predictive of academic success. Early college students often struggle to use these skills, but can improve when given targeted instruction. However, it is not yet clear what skills are best to prioritize. Objective We seek to create a shortlist of SRL skills that help computer science students with an ultimate goal of giving future researchers and educators a set of promising targets for future study. Method This work details a three-phase Delphi-Process study wherein a panel educators to reach consensus on SRL skills needed for success in CS. Findings We identified fourteen skills broadly categorized into five areas: Planning, Executing, Monitoring, Responding, and Reflecting. There are several factors to indicate these skills are all highly valuable areas for future work. Implications We highlight Knowing When to Seek Help especially for future research within the Computing Education Research community.

A Systematic Literature Review for Investigating DevOps Metrics to Implement in Software Development Organizations

ABSTRACTDevOps is a collaborative software development process where practitioners work as a team to continuously develop, deploy, and deliver software. DevOps practices still need to be mature, and practitioners face numerous challenges while considering DevOps as a software development process. The mainstream research community has helped simplify the DevOps adoption process and eliminate complexities by developing DevOps maturity models. However, the current maturity frameworks cannot measure every component of DevOps and do not mention metrics as parameters for measuring different DevOps practices or features. Therefore, this study aims to identify metrics for measuring practices and activities responsible for DevOps implementation. The systematic literature review (SLR) method was used to determine the metrics needed to measure DevOps practices. Using SLR, we have identified 32 metrics from 57 articles. The metrics identified in this study can be used to measure the impact of the practices adopted for DevOps implementation within software development organizations. Furthermore, we divided the identified metrics into Dev and Ops categories and five significant categories based on the DevOps lifecycle. The classification of metrics in our study into diverse regions provides a conceptual framework and understanding of DevOps measures.

The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2025 update.

The UCSC Genome Browser (https://genome.ucsc.edu) is a widely utilized web-based tool for visualization and analysis of genomic data, encompassing over 4000 assemblies from diverse organisms. Since its release in 2001, it has become an essential resource for genomics and bioinformatics research. Annotation data available on Genome Browser includes both internally created and maintained tracks as well as custom tracks and track hubs provided by the research community. This last year's updates include over 25 new annotation tracks such as the gnomAD 4.1 track on the human GRCh38/hg38 assembly, the addition of three new public hubs, and significant expansions to the Genome Archive[GenArk) system for interacting with the enormous variety of assemblies. We have also made improvements to our interface, including updates to the browser graphic page, such as a new popup dialog feature that now displays item details without requiring navigation away from the main Genome Browser page. GenePred tracks have been upgraded with right-click options for zooming and precise navigation, along with enhanced mouseOver functions. Additional improvements include a new grouping feature for track hubs and hub description info links. A new tutorial focusing on Clinical Genetics has also been added to the UCSC Genome Browser.

OPTIMALISASI PENGUATAN NILAI-NILAI MODERASI BERAGAMA MELALUI AKSI GOTONG ROYONG MENYAMBUT HUT RI KE 79 DI DESA TARUSAN DANUM

KKN Nusantara Religious Moderation is a priority program of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia which was initiated through collaboration with various universities in Indonesia, in order to maximize the value of tolerance in society. KKN Nusantara Religious Moderation in 2024 was implemented in Central Kalimantan, precisely in Katingan Regency, by sending 12 groups to different villages with programs that could foster an attitude of tolerance in society. The purpose of KKN NMB is to build a commitment to community understanding related to the values ​​of religious moderation within the framework of Bhineka Tunggal Ika. The KKN NMB community service method uses the PAR Participatory Action Research type or community participation action research in Tewang Rangkang Village. The results of the NMB KKN activities show that the strengthening of the values ​​of religious moderation in the Tarusan Danum Village community on a scale of change is slightly better than before the arrival of the NMB KKN, especially through mutual cooperation actions to enliven the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia. As for community participation towards being pro-active again with a commitment in each respective place of worship (Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) willing to carry out and implement the values ​​of religious moderation. Thus, the realization of the priority program of the Ministry of Religion together with PTK Nusantara is able to have a massive and sustainable impact on society

Preclinical research (on rare diseases): we need to talk about health equity.

There is a thriving, worldwide, biomedical research community working to understand the molecular bases of diseases of all types, continuously driving improved diagnostics and therapies. Developments in genetics and experimental medicine are yielding novel genetic therapies that were hardly dreamt of 40 years ago. But along with these scientific achievements, there exist challenges in ensuring that 21st century medical interventions are accessible to all who need them. This perspective will discuss how preclinical research, with a focus on rare diseases, can better contribute to healthcare ecosystems that are oriented towards greater health equity. This contribution may require changes to the prevailing scientific research culture that will need support from relevant institutions and the wider community.

Determining the force parameters of the working process to clean the udder nipples of cows

The object of this study is the force parameters of the working process when cleaning the udder nipples of cows from contamination. Failure to provide adequate care for a cow, especially concerning its udder, could lead to significant health and productivity problems. On the other hand, utilizing modern tools, devices, and materials could improve the sanitary and hygienic conditions for milking cows and udder care, thus leading to better overall outcomes. As part of the research, mathematical expressions were derived theoretically, allowing the determination of the force parameters of the working process for cleaning cows’ udders from contamination by expanding the range of the device’s functional characteristics. Distinctive features of the results regarding the solution to this problem is evaluation of the elasticity force exerted by the lint bundles on the nipple during the rotation of the brush device’s drum and the circular force generated by the brush lint. The developed algorithm of the work process aimed at cleaning the nipples and udders of cows made it possible to combine a set of clearly defined and sequentially performed operations into a single whole. It has been demonstrated that the efforts required to retain different types of contamination on the skin vary significantly. To objectively determine it, a new device has been designed. Its distinctive features are the precision of measurement and simplicity of operation. Following laboratory testing, it was established that the highest contaminant retention forces were exhibited by solid manure (Fret=40±3.21 N), while the lowest values were observed for sawdust (Fret=19±2.17 N) (p ≤ 0.001). The developments are relevant and could be used at cattle breeding farms of various forms of ownership, the scientific community, and at industrial enterprises manufacturing technological equipment.

How Helpful May Be a CRISPR/Cas-Based System for Food Traceability?

Genome editing (GE) technologies have the potential to completely transform breeding and biotechnology applied to crop species, contributing to the advancement of modern agriculture and influencing the market structure. To date, the GE-toolboxes include several distinct platforms able to induce site-specific and predetermined genomic modifications, introducing changes within the existing genetic blueprint of an organism. For these reasons, the GE-derived approaches are considered like new plant breeding methods, known also as New Breeding Techniques (NBTs). Particularly, the GE-based on CRISPR/Cas technology represents a considerable improvement forward biotech-related techniques, being highly sensitive, precise/accurate, and straightforward for targeted gene editing in a reliable and reproducible way, with numerous applications in food-related plants. Furthermore, numerous examples of CRISPR/Cas system exploitation for non-editing purposes, ranging from cell imaging to gene expression regulation and DNA assembly, are also increasing, together with recent engagements in target and multiple chemical detection. This manuscript aims, after providing a general overview, to focus attention on the main advances of CRISPR/Cas-based systems into new frontiers of non-editing, presenting and discussing the associated implications and their relative impacts on molecular traceability, an aspect closely related to food safety, which increasingly arouses general interest within public opinion and the scientific community.

Dysautonomia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: A Critical Analysis of Dysautonomia: How to Diagnose and Treat.

A significant number of physicians are unclear of the vast clinical manifestations of dysautonomia and imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, specifically the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. The major obstacle has been an inability to determine the mechanism of action as well as multisystem dysfunction and a lack of clear-cut testing. Dysautonomia, a pathophysiological malfunction of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in our bodies, can present as altered clinical functions of heart rate (tachycardia/bradycardia), altered breathing patterns, blood pressure (hypertension/hypotension), sweating, digestion, syncope, etc. These symptoms have caused specialists to miss this diagnosis because of relative nonspecificity. Our current analysis of patients demonstrates significant delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and the development of chronic syndromes because of the above. We demonstrate that monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure with changes in position and respiration can be easily and quickly performed without orthostatic stress and can demonstrate the entities of sympathetic withdrawal, cholinergic excessive aspects as well as tachycardia, blood pressure dips with posture, etc. This analysis takes less than an hour without the need for injections or medication, thus more quickly informing the cardiologist/neurologist of the correct diagnosis. We will attempt to demystify these issues so that clinicians and the scientific community will have a better understanding of this entity and consider a diagnosis of dysautonomia earlier in the differential diagnostic process and start treatment approaches sooner.

Red Wine Consumption and the Impact on Cardiovascular Health: The Methodological Barriers of Observational Study Design.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and its prevalence is going to rise even more by 2030. The discovery of different "functional" foods containing a plethora of bioactive compounds is considered an ally in the effort to reduce the global CVD burden in the context of primary prevention. It has been about 3 decades since the observation that red wine consumption in French population could lead to lower coronary heart disease risk despite the high dietary consumption of saturated fats, known as the "French paradox." Since then, numerous epidemiological studies, mainly observational, have emerged in order to investigate this association with great enthusiasm. However, due to the nature of these studies, the scientific community has raised concerns about the methodological approach of the studies and thus the generalization of their results. Therefore, the current review aims to summarize some of the major methodological issues deriving from observational studies on the association between red wine consumption and cardiovascular health and to highlight the importance of higher quality study design in the general effort of drawing safer conclusions on this topic.

Engaging Burn Survivors, Their Families, and the Burn Community in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research: A Burn Survivor- and Burn Community Stakeholder-Generated and Prioritized Research Agenda.

Burn survivors are involved in burn research, but typically in the role of research subject. We believe that the outcomes and impact of burn research can be improved by engaging survivors as collaborators in the planning, implementation, and dissemination of burn research. The goal of this work was to produce the first burn research agenda generated and prioritized by burn survivors and other stakeholders from the burn community. A series of structured focus groups covering five topics (Patient and Family Education, Aftercare, Navigating the Healthcare System, Recovery: Physical and Psychosocial, and Barriers to Research) were held with burn survivors and their family members. Specific research questions/topics were identified from the transcripts and prioritized via an anonymous survey of burn survivors, their caregivers, and other stakeholders from the burn community. From these sessions, 37 specific research questions/topics were identified and ranked. In addition, 19 research barriers were identified and ranked. This work presents an innovative approach to burn research through co-production with survivors and other stakeholders. Burn survivors and their caregivers are experts in their lived experiences. By involving them in burn research as collaborators and contributors from the very first steps of research and throughout the continuum of the research planning, conducting projects, and distributing findings, we believe that the research will be both more successful and more impactful. We have taken the first steps in burn research co-production with this novel stakeholder-generated research agenda for the burn community.

Migration and Economic Development: The Role of Migrant Flows in Shaping Turkey’s Emerging Economy and Uncovering Hidden Conflicts and Challenges

This research examines the economic impact of migration on Turkey's emerging economy, with a particular focus on the contributions of migrant remittances, labor market dynamics, and the socio-political challenges associated with large-scale migrant flows. By employing econometric models and field research, the study explores the relationship between remittance inflows and key economic indicators such as GDP growth, employment rates, and poverty reduction. Additionally, the research uncovers hidden conflicts and social tensions that arise from migration, including labor market inequalities and integration challenges faced by both migrants and Turkish workers. The project evaluates government policies, such as the EU-Turkey refugee agreement, and their effects on economic development and social stability. Field research in migrant-receiving communities reveals the complexities of labor competition and the social dynamics created by migrant dependency in sectors such as agriculture and construction. Findings highlight the need for inclusive migration policies that balance the economic benefits of remittances with the social integration challenges faced by migrant populations. This study also advocates for stronger labor protections and regulatory reforms to mitigate tensions and reduce exploitation in low-wage sectors. The research contributes to the broader understanding of migration’s role in shaping Turkey’s economy and provides insights for policymakers seeking to address both the economic and social dimensions of migration.

Unification of insertion and supercapacitive storage concepts: Storage profiles in titania

Insertion storage in battery electrodes and supercapacitive storage are typically considered to be independent phenomena and thus are dealt with in separate scientific communities. Using tailored experiments on titanium oxide thin films of various thicknesses, we demonstrate the simultaneous occurrence of both processes. For the interpretation of the entire storage profile encompassing both contributions, the (free) energies of the charge carriers in the mixed conductor and the neighboring phase are the only materials parameters required. The experimental results enable no less than a unification of insertion and supercapacitive storage, the first being dominant for thick films, the latter for thin films or negligible electronic conductivity. Therefore, the size of the storage medium and the nature of the current collecting phases can be used to tune power density versus energy density.

Coumarin Derivatives: Pioneering New Frontiers in Biological Applications

Abstract: Coumarins are a vital class of compounds recognized for their significant therapeutic potential, both in their natural forms and as synthetic derivatives. Characterized by a benzene ring fused to an α-pyranose ring, coumarins have garnered considerable attention from the scientific community due to their diverse pharmacological activities. This review article highlights the importance of coumarin hybrids, showcasing their enhanced biological properties and reactivity compared to traditional coumarin structures. We explore the pharmacological profiles of various coumarin derivatives, including their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-tuberculosis activities, among others. The review examines how the incorporation of different functional groups on the coumarin scaffold can modulate its effectiveness against various diseases, particularly cancer. Furthermore, we discuss promising results from coumarin-based hybrids, such as coumarinpyridine, coumarin-uracil, and coumarin-quinoline derivatives, demonstrating their efficacy against a range of pathogens. This comprehensive overview serves as a valuable resource for researchers interested in the potential of coumarin derivatives in therapeutic applications.

Human–robot interaction: predicting research agenda by long short-term memory

The article addresses the identification and prediction of research topics in human–robot interaction (HRI), fundamental in Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and future Industry 5.0 (I5.0). In the absence of research agendas in the scientific literature, the study proposes a multilayered model to create a precise agenda to guide the scientific community in new developments in collaborative robotics and HRI technologies. The methodology is divided into four stages, which make up the three layers of the model. In the first two stages, scientific articles on HRI for the period 2020–2021 were collected and analyzed using data mining techniques together with VantagePoint and Gephi software to identify keywords and their relationships. These initial stages form layer 1 of the model, where the main scientific themes are recognized. In the third stage, article titles and abstracts are cleaned and processed using natural language processing (NLP) techniques, generating word embeddings models that highlight relevant HRI-related terms, forming layer 2. The fourth and final stage uses Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) with long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture to predict future topics, consolidating the previously identified terms and forming layer 3 of the model. The results show that in layer 1 HRI has intensive application in various sectors through advanced computational algorithms, with trust as a key feature. In layer 2, terms such as vision, sensors, communication, collaboration and anthropomorphic aspects are fundamental, while layer 3 anticipates future topics such as design, performance, method and controllers, essential to improve robot interaction. The study concludes that the methodology is effective in defining a robust and relevant research agenda. By identifying future trends and needs, this work fills a gap in the scientific literature, providing a valuable tool for the research community in the field of HRI.

FERDCNN: an efficient method for facial expression recognition through deep convolutional neural networks

Facial expression recognition (FER) has caught the research community’s attention recently because it can affect many real-life applications. Multiple studies have focused on automatic FER, most of which use a machine learning methodology, FER has continued to be a difficult and exciting issue in computer vision. Deep learning has recently drawn increased attention as a solution to several practical issues, including facial expression recognition. This article introduces an efficient method for FER (FERDCNN) verified on five different pre-trained deep CNN (DCNN) models (AlexNet, GoogleNet, ResNet-18, ResNet-50, and ResNet-101). In the proposed method, firstly the input image has been pre-processed using face detection, resizing, gamma correction, and histogram equalization techniques. Secondly, the images go through DCNN to extract deep features. Finally, support vector machine (SVM) and transfer learning are used to classify generated features. Recent methods have been employed to evaluate and contrast the performance of the proposed approach on two publicly standard databases namely, CK+ and JAFFE on the seven classes of fundamental emotions, including anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise beside neutrality for CK+ and contempt for JAFFE. The suggested method tested Four different traditional supervised classifiers with deep features, Experimental found that AlexNet excels as a feature extractor, while SVM demonstrates superiority as a classifier because of this combination achieving the highest accuracy rates of 99.0% and 95.16% for the CK+ database and the JAFFE datasets, respectively.

Sappho Scientific Evidence Platform on Gender: Narratives of Academics and Non-Academics about a Community Science Case

Modern society's digitization has led to the creation of online science platforms. Research shows that academic-oriented platforms boost active research teams, enhance scientific collaboration, and encourage manuscript reviews. However, there is limited research on platforms for citizen participation in science. This study examines the Sappho Scientific Evidence Platform, which aims to provide a science-based participatory tool with a focus on gender-related issues. Using a qualitative communicative approach, 10 users (6 primary school teachers, 2 researchers, and 2 university professors) were interviewed about their platform usage, impacts encountered, and the dialogues between citizens and scientists. The findings reveal that both academics and non-academics can contribute to science on Sappho. Participants reported improved scientific literacy, enhanced conversations about scientific evidence, and the use of this evidence in their personal and professional lives. The platform empowers users to critically engage with gender issues. These results highlight Sappho's positive impact and its potential as a valuable tool for promoting scientific evidence among its users.