Crowdsourcing Research Articles

Laypersons versus experienced surgeons in assessing simulated robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

BackgroundFeedback is important for surgical trainees but it can be biased and time-consuming. We examined crowd-sourced assessment as an alternative to experienced surgeons’ assessment of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).MethodsWe used video recordings (n = 45) of three RARP modules on the RobotiX, Simbionix simulator from a previous study in a blinded comparative assessment study. A group of crowd workers (CWs) and two experienced RARP surgeons (ESs) evaluated all videos with the modified Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Surgery (mGEARS).ResultsOne hundred forty-nine CWs performed 1490 video ratings. Internal consistency reliability was high (0.94). Inter-rater reliability and test–retest reliability were low for CWs (0.29 and 0.39) and moderate for ESs (0.61 and 0.68). In an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test, CWs could not discriminate between the skill level of the surgeons (p = 0.03–0.89), whereas ES could (p = 0.034).ConclusionWe found very low agreement between the assessments of CWs and ESs when they assessed robot-assisted radical prostatectomies. As opposed to ESs, CWs could not discriminate between surgical experience using the mGEARS ratings or when asked if they wanted the surgeons to perform their robotic surgery.

Translating risk-benefit assessment evidence for policy making: outcomes of an international workshop

Abstract Background Transitioning to sustainable, healthy, and inclusive food systems requires a multi-domain risk analysis approach. Integrated methods, such as health risk-benefit assessment (RBA), can support the formulation of coherent regulations by providing comparative information on potential trade-offs within the areas of food safety and nutrition. Despite extensive scientific developments and applications, RBAs have not yet been fully adopted by regulatory bodies. Hence, participatory science is needed to identify obstacles for implementation and communication of RBAs to optimize and ensure that generated evidence is compatible to regulatory needs. Methods As part of the EU funded project HOLiFOOD, an international workshop held in May 2023 brought together food regulators and other stakeholders from across Europe to identify bottlenecks in the use of RBA outputs in decision-making. The meeting included a key-note presentation, surveys, and group discussions. Results Thirty-seven participants from 19 institutions based in 13 countries attended the workshop. Obstacles identified were classified into one of the following themes: challenges of using RBAs to inform policymaking, opportunities and needs (e.g., reliability of methods), and communication of RBA outputs. Case studies targeting various foods groups or diets in different contexts is recommended. Conclusions Health RBA is a multidisciplinary method useful for prioritizing actions and ensuring transparency in decision-making. Case studies addressing the identified obstacles could increase the reliability of RBA methods and favour the adoption by regulatory bodies. Finally, moving towards holistic approaches may require further cross-departmental collaboration and, potentially, organizational changes of authorities in the future. Key messages • Risk-benefit assessment of foods is a robust tool to support public health policymaking. • Engagement with risk managers and other stakeholders is essential to deliver, and effectively translate, fit-for-purpose scientific evidence.

Scoping review of transport workforce exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory pandemic diseases

Abstract Background Transport workers may be at heightened occupational risk during pandemics. However, there is a lack of research that specifically focuses on understanding the factors contributing to this risk and the strategies that can reduce their risk. This study aimed to understand the current state of research regarding the transmission of respiratory pandemic diseases for transport workers and to identify any existing evidence-based recommendations that can help mitigate the risks associated with these diseases in the transport industry. Methods A scoping review was undertaken which adhered to the PRISMA guidelines, and a comprehensive search was conducted in English-language databases for peer-reviewed research articles. Our search across multidisciplinary databases returned a total of 12540 sources, with 39 articles included in the final review. The results were summarized, coded, and thematically categorized. Results Most studies employed quantitative methodologies (24/39) and reported high percentage of male participants. Spatial distribution analysis demonstrated that the coverage of the literature was uneven across different continents. Findings revealed that transport workers faced a heightened risk of exposure due to crowded work settings, job demands, and inadequate use of personal protective equipment. Systemic and structural inequalities were identified among transport workers. Conclusions This study provides insights for policy and practice interventions that address the unique needs and challenges faced by workers in the industry, including how to promote social equity and justice during pandemics. There is a need for more qualitative and mixed-methods research approaches to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. Given the global nature of risks for respiratory infections and the global transport sector (which is a significant transmission point for societies), more research is required in non-traditional contexts outside US, Canada, EU, and UK. Key messages • During respiratory pandemic diseases transport workers face heightened risk of infection, inadequate resources, and systemic inequalities. Need for focus on certain regions, and policy interventions. • Respiratory pandemic diseases impact on transport industry & workers reviewed, revealing geographic disparities in focus of literature, & socio-economic challenges. Policy interventions needed.

Consumers' paradoxical motives of co-creation: From self-service technology to crowd-sourcing platform

Self-service technologies (SSTs) have unleashed the productive potential of modern consumers, while crowd-sourcing (CS) platforms have further elevated the co-creation role of consumers. In this regard, consumers participate to serve not only themselves privately but also other consumers in social/communal settings. Thus, this study aims to explore and compare consumers' motives to co-create using technological platforms in both private and social contexts. A conceptual framework was developed by integrating the theory of technological paradoxes with co-creation literature. Additionally, a social-exchange perspective was adopted to rationalise the differences in private-social contexts and the moderating effects on consumer co-creation motives. The study data (n = 500) were collected using a questionnaire survey and analysed using structural equation modelling. The paradoxical motives of empowerment and shared responsibility were found to be significant contributors to consumers' willingness to co-create, confirming the independence/jointness paradox that shapes technology-mediated service co-creation. Furthermore, the communal setting of CS platforms tends to suppress consumers' empowerment motive, making responsibility-sharing the dominant motive. Therefore, the findings of this study validate (partially with mixed statistical/descriptive evidence) the moderating effect of co-creation contexts on the perceived technological paradox. Finally, this study presents the theoretical and practical implications of the research findings.

Use of FLOSIC for understanding anion-solvent interactions.

An Achille's heel of lower-rung density-functional approximations is that the highest-occupied-molecular-orbital energy levels of anions, known to be stable or metastable in nature, are often found to be positive in the worst case or above the lowest-unoccupied-molecular-orbital levels on neighboring complexes that are not expected to accept charge. A trianionic example, [Cr(C2O4)3]3-, is of interest for constraining models linking Cr isotope ratios in rock samples to oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere over geological timescales. Here we describe how crowd sourcing can be used to carry out self-consistent Fermi-Löwdin-Orbital-Self-Interaction corrected calculations (FLOSIC) on this trianion in solution. The calculations give a physically correct description of the electronic structure of the trianion and water. In contrast, uncorrected local density approximation (LDA) calculations result in approximately half of the anion charge being transferred to the water bath due to the effects of self-interaction error. Use of group-theory and the intrinsic sparsity of the theory enables calculations roughly 125 times faster than our initial implementation in the large N limit reached here. By integrating charge density densities and Coulomb potentials over regions of space and analyzing core-level shifts of the Cr and O atoms as a function of position and functional, we unambiguously show that FLOSIC, relative to LDA, reverses incorrect solute-solvent charge transfer in the trianion-water complex. In comparison to other functionals investigated herein, including Hartree-Fock and the local density approximation, the FLOSIC Cr 1s eigenvalues provide the best agreement with experimental core ionization energies.

The moderating role of reflective thinking on personal factors affecting belief in conspiracy theories

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has sparked an interest in conspiracy theories worldwide. Previous research has shown that reflective thinking can inhibit belief in conspiracy theories. However, this study delves further by investigating whether reflective thinking moderates the effects of other personal factors, such as anxiety and social class. We conducted an online survey and analyzed data from 937 crowd workers in Japan. The results show that the inhibitory effect of reflective thinking, measured through performance‐based and self‐report methods, remained robust among the participants. However, our analysis yielded near‐null results for the interaction, rejecting the idea that reflective thinking acts as a significant moderator in the relationship between reflective thinking and various personal factors. The implications of these findings suggest that reflective thinking does not amplify factors that strengthen belief in conspiracy theories. Instead, fostering reflective thinking appears to be an effective strategy for reducing conspiracy beliefs.

Community-Academic Partnership: Intervention to Prepare Community Members for the End-of-Life Journey.

Despite research findings that rural Appalachians prefer to die at home, few people access palliative and hospice care services, and many report limited knowledge about palliative/end-of-life care resources. A community-academic partnership was formed to address this need. Train-the-trainer workshop and materials were co-developed. This study tested the feasibility and cultural acceptability of the training intervention to increase community members' knowledge about palliative/end-of-life care resources for East Tennessee Appalachian people. Community-based participatory research design and culture care theory guided the project, intervention, and research. After engaging in end-of-life training, participants completed a retrospective pretest-posttest survey. Paired samples t tests were used to compare knowledge before and after training. Means and standard deviations were used to report training material usefulness and cultural acceptability. Short-answer qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Sixty-six adults completed the survey. Ratings for training materials and cultural/theological acceptability were high. Participant knowledge rankings showed significant improvement after training at the P <.001 level. Qualitative feedback was positive. The training intervention was feasible, culturally acceptable, and effective for increasing East Tennessee Appalachian persons' palliative/end-of-life care knowledge. Community member expertise/collaboration integrated into every stage of the project is the bedrock of cultural acceptability and feasibility.

"It has to be more than exercise": exploring multiple perspectives to community-based exercise program design for persons with breast cancer.

Connecting persons with cancer to exercise resources and/or supports requires a diverse team of professionals. As such, there is merit to engaging multiple individuals or "partners" along the cancer pathway to explore the relevant features of community-based exercise program (CBEP) design. The purpose of this study was to explore multi-partner perspectives to CBEP design for persons diagnosed with breast cancer (PWBC) to inform the implementation of a CBEP in a local setting. PWBC, health care professionals and qualified exercise professionals participated in one of four 60-min focus group discussions. Rich dialogue about preferred program environments, program delivery teams, and core program practices was encouraged using a semi-structured discussion guide. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five main themes were identified based on focus group discussions, each pointing to an important feature of CBEP design for PWBC. Themes included the desire for CBEPs to incorporate elements designed to improve cancer literacy, provide opportunities to participate with peers, foster self-efficacy, prioritize program accessibility, and meaningfully integrate CBEPs within a network of supportive cancer care. The collective effect of fostering such elements in CBEPs may serve to increase the uptake and maintenance of exercise among PWBC; ultimately enhancing their overall well-being and quality of life.

Establishment and range expansion of Dermacentor variabilis in the northern Maritimes of Canada: Community participatory science documents establishment of an invasive tick species.

Tick populations are dependent on a complex interplay of abiotic and biotic influences, many of which are influenced by anthropic factors including climate change. Dermacentor variabilis, the wood tick or American dog tick, is a hardy tick species that feeds from a wide range of mammals and birds that can transmit pathogens of medical and agricultural importance. Significant range expansion across North America has been occurring over the past decades;this study documents northwards range expansion in the Canadian Maritime provinces. Tick recoveries from passive surveillance between 2012 and 2021 were examined to assess northward population expansion through Atlantic Canada. At the beginning of this period, D. variabilis was abundant in the most southerly province, Nova Scotia, but was not considered established in the province to the north, New Brunswick. During the 10-year span covered by this study, an increasing number of locally acquired ticks were recovered in discrete foci, suggesting small established or establishing populations in southern and coastal New Brunswick. The pattern of population establishment follows the climate-driven establishment pattern of Ixodes scapularis to some extent but there is also evidence of successful seeding of disjunct populations in areas identified as sub-optimal for tick populations. Dogs were the most common host from which these ticks were recovered, which raises the possibility of human activity, via movement of companion animals, having a significant role in establishing new populations of this species. Dermacentor variabilis is a vector of several pathogens of medical and agricultural importance but is not considered to be a competent vector for Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease; our molecular analysis of a subset of D. variabilis for both B. burgdorferi and B. miyamotoi did not confirm any with Borrelia. This study spans the initial establishment of this tick species and documents the pattern of introduction, providing a relatively unique opportunity to examine the first stages of range expansion of a tick species.

Diversifying Large-Scale Participatory Science: The Efficacy of Engagement through Facilitator Organizations

Large-scale, scientist-led, participatory science (citizen science) projects often engage participants who are primarily white, wealthy, and well-educated. Calls to diversify contributory projects are increasingly common, but little research has evaluated the efficacy of suggested strategies for diversification. We engaged participants in Crowd the Tap through facilitator organizations like historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominantly white institutions, high school science classrooms, and corporate volunteer programs. Crowd the Tap is a contributory project focused on identifying and addressing lead (Pb) contamination in household drinking water in the United States. We investigated how participant diversity with respects to race, ethnicity, and homeownership (a proxy for income) differed between participation facilitated through a partner organization and unfacilitated participation in which participants came to the project independently. We were also interested in which facilitators were most effective at increasing participant diversity. White and wealthy participants were overrepresented in unfacilitated participation. Facilitation helped increase engagement of people of color, especially Black and lower-income households. High schools were particularly effective at engaging Hispanic or Latinx participants, and HBCUs were important for engaging Black households. Ultimately, our results suggest that engagement through facilitator organizations may be an effective means of engaging diverse participants in large-scale projects. Our results have important implications for the field of participatory science as we seek to identify evidence-based strategies for diversifying project participants.

The International Space Station (ISS) Contest as STEM Educational Project

In the years 2015–2018, the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Italian Ministry of Defense proposed the joint initiative "Space for Your Future. The ISS: Innovatio, Scientia, Sapientia" in partnership with the Italian Space Agency. It was a competition addressed to secondary school students and aimed at developing innovative experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station, whose acronym (ISS) is the same of the Latin words "Innovatio, Scientia, Sapientia". Regardless of the odds of winning, "Space for Your Future" became a successful STEM educational project implemented in numerous schools. We illustrate how that Astronomy contest fostered a valid constructivist learning, a fruitful participatory science, and vast scientific research. We discuss, in particular, the activities of two teams of pupils from the Scientific High School "Giovanni Battista Grassi" in Latina (seat of the Planetarium "Livio Gratton") who participated within the thematic area No. 3 "Test the Sciences in Space". They all worked on chemical tests, suitable for the ISS microgravity, under the tutoring of Francesco Giuliano (Province Manager of the IYA 2009 and the IYC 2011 in Latina). The key reference is a talk given in the 104th annual congress of the Italian Physical Society at the University of Calabria (September 17–21, 2018) together with an invited lecture held in the 13th European Researchers’ Night by Frascati Scienza (September 28, 2018). Keywords: science contest, ISS, secondary school, educational project, TRL, STEM, constructivism, PBL, PrBL, learning by Doing, IBSE, citizen science, ESD, EDP.

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Midlife Adults' Daily Stress: Protocol for the Stress Reports in Variable Environments (STRIVE) App Study.

Daily stressors are associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of heart disease, depression, and other debilitating chronic illnesses in midlife adults. Daily stressors tend to occur at home or at work and are more frequent in urban versus rural settings. Conversely, spending time in natural environments such as parks or forests, or even viewing nature-themed images in a lab setting, is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and is hypothesized to be a strong stress "buffer," reducing perceived stress even after leaving the natural setting. However, many studies of daily stress have not captured environmental contexts and relied on end-of-day recall instead of in-the-moment data capture. With new technology, these limitations can be addressed to enhance knowledge of the daily stress experience. We propose to use our novel custom-built Stress Reports in Variable Environments (STRIVE) ecological momentary assessment mobile phone app to measure the experience of daily stress of midlife adults in free-living conditions. Using our app to capture data in real time will allow us to determine (1) where and when daily stress occurs for midlife adults, (2) whether midlife adults' daily stressors are linked to certain elements of the built and natural environment, and (3) how ecological momentary assessment measurement of daily stress is similar to and different from a modified version of the popular Daily Inventory of Stressful Events measurement tool that captures end-of-day stress reports (used in the Midlife in the United States [MIDUS] survey). We will enroll a total of 150 midlife adults living in greater Indianapolis, Indiana, in this study on a rolling basis for 3-week periods. As those in underrepresented minority groups and low-income areas have previously been found to experience greater levels of stress, we will use stratified sampling to ensure that half of our study sample is composed of underrepresented minorities (eg, Black, American Indian, Hispanic, or Native Pacific Islanders) and approximately one-third of our sample falls within low-, middle-, and high-income brackets. This project is funded by the National Institute on Aging from December 2022 to November 2024. Participant enrollment began in August 2023 and is expected to finish in July 2024. Data will be spatiotemporally analyzed to determine where and when stress occurs for midlife adults. Pictures of stressful environments will be qualitatively analyzed to determine the common elements of stressful environments. Data collected by the STRIVE app will be compared with retrospective Daily Inventory of Stressful Events data. Completing this study will expand our understanding of midlife adults' experience of stress in free-living conditions and pave the way for data-driven individual and community-based intervention designs to promote health and well-being in midlife adults. DERR1-10.2196/51845.

&lt;i&gt;Corrigendum to&lt;/i&gt;: Community-driven shark monitoring for informed decision making: a case study from Fiji

&lt;sec&gt; Context Globally, more than 121 million people enjoy nature-based marine tourism, making it one of the largest marine industries. Ocean degradation threatens this industry and management has not kept pace to ensure long-term sustainability. In response, some individuals within the industry are taking it upon themselves to monitor the ocean and provide the data needed to assist management decisions. Fiji is one such place. &lt;/sec&gt; &lt;sec&gt; Aims Between 2012 and 2016, 39 Fijian dive operators, in collaboration with eOceans, conducted the Great Fiji Shark Count to document sharks on their dives. &lt;/sec&gt; &lt;sec&gt; Methods Using 146&amp;#x2009;304 shark observations from 30668 dives, we document spatial and temporal patterns of 11 shark species at 592 sites. &lt;/sec&gt; &lt;sec&gt; Key results Sharks were observed on 13&amp;#x2009;846 dives (45% of recorded dives) at 441 (74%) sites. Generally, our results matched those from other more limited surveys, including from baited remote underwater video systems. We found high variability in shark presence, species richness, and relative abundance through space and time. One trend was surprising: the most common species, Whitetip Reef Shark, decreased over the study period at eastern sites and increased at western sites; the cause is currently unknown. &lt;/sec&gt; &lt;sec&gt; Conclusions Our results can guide management and conservation needs, future scientific questions, and provide a baseline for future assessments. &lt;/sec&gt; &lt;sec&gt; Implications This study demonstrates the value of longitudinal observation data that includes absences for describing marine fauna, and confirms the capacity of stakeholders to document the ocean. It also points the direction for broadscale participatory science methodologies to track the ocean. &lt;/sec&gt;

Skill …Skill… Which Skill do I Acquire? ---Skills Requirement for the BANI Environment---

We are moving from the information era to innovation era. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) are the core for every employee to accomplish the organizational goals during this era. This paper is an exploratory study aimed at identifying the ‘SKILLS’ requirement to meet new-age challenges, and to assess the role of Higher Educational Institutions in imparting those SKILLS. Secondary data is collected through various reports and research works to list out the skills required by the millennials. According to World Skill Council, problem solving, self-management, working with people, technology use and development are some of the Skills among the top Skills of 2025. The emphasis is on the emerging Skills requirement, as the very basic nature of work and meaning of workplace is in transition stage. The rules of the game have changed. The below three questions will provide an insight on the changing workplace scenario. (i) Who does the work? Work could be done by full time or part time employees, gig workers or crowd sourcing. (ii) How the work is done? – Work can be accomplished by using AI, robotics and automation. (iii) When and where work is done? – Work places are no longer traditional brick and mortar settings. They could be fluid work schedules, remote workers or collocated workspace. To embrace this change in the workplace, it is vital for the workforce to equip themselves with a new set of skills. Therefore, this study will explore the skills requirement for the future workplace to thrive in BANI environment. And also make an effort to direct the Higher Educational Institutions in imparting those Skills.

"People Have Died To Get Us To Where We Are"

We live in an aging society, but lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender plus (LGBT+) people often lack equitable access to aging-related information and services. Systematic barriers to information, or information marginalization, has been described as affecting various populations including LGBT+ people; organizations perpetuate it, but research often ignores their role in addressing it. The purpose of this study is to combat aging services information marginalization in partnership with LGBT+ older adults and community-based organizations. Utilizing concepts from Information Marginalization Theory and a community-based participatory research design, this study asks LGBT+ older adults what they see as their aging-related needs, what barriers they see to getting those needs met, and what practices they would like to see providers use to help remove those barriers. Thematic analysis of interviews with 25 LGBT+ older adults 50 years and older in East Tennessee produced 5 need, 7 marginalization, and 4 practice themes which served as the basis for a strategic plan to improve aging services to this population. Nineteen of those 25 interviewees discussed and finalized the strategic plan across 5 focus groups. A constructivist grounded theory analysis of all of the interviews, focus groups, and the author’s participant researcher data resulted in an 8 point model for combating information marginalization that may be implemented with marginalized people in various contexts. This study contributes to a social justice understanding of action and design theory, expands action research methodology, and brings attention to a fast growing population that is understudied in library and information science.&#x0D;

Big advocacy, little recognition: the hidden work of Black patients in precision medicine

As cost-effective next-generation genome sequencing rapidly develops, calls for greater inclusion of Black people in genomic research, policy, and practice are necessary for effective translation of genomic science into precision population health and medicine. Employing a community-based participatory mixed methods research design, we developed a semi-structured survey that was disseminated to three cancer advocacy organizations. Of the 81 survey respondents 49 (60%) self-identified as Black, and 26 (32%) indicated a prior breast cancer diagnosis. Black participants’ expressed concerns about genetic testing were evenly distributed between concerns that could be addressed through genetic counseling (24%) and concerns about subsequent use of their genetic data (27%). Patient advocates contributed to contextualization of respondent concerns in terms of community experiences. Although genetic counseling services and policies governing genomic data use are not always accessible to many Black communities, advocates on our research team provided a bridge to discussion of the intersection between respondent concerns and the roles advocates play in filling gaps in access to genetic counseling and data governance. Concerns expressed by Black patients underscore a shared need among all patients for access to education, inclusion in research, and assurances regarding the use and handling of genetic data. Black cancer patients have joined in patient-led efforts to overcome systemic inequities in cancer care to improve their health outcomes through representation. Often their efforts are overshadowed by a relentless burden of continued health disparities. Future research should support their hidden work as a means to reduce barriers and improve representation in genomic databases.

A Tale of Two Communities: Privacy of Third Party App Users in Crowdsourcing - The Case of Receipt Transcription

Mobile and web apps are increasingly relying on the data generated or provided by users such as from their uploaded documents and images. Unfortunately, those apps may raise significant user privacy concerns. Specifically, to train or adapt their models for accurately processing huge amounts of data continuously collected from millions of app users, app or service providers have widely adopted the approach of crowdsourcing for recruiting crowd workers to manually annotate or transcribe the sampled ever-changing user data. However, when users' data are uploaded through apps and then become widely accessible to hundreds of thousands of anonymous crowd workers, many human-in-the-loop related privacy questions arise concerning both the app user community and the crowd worker community. In this paper, we propose to investigate the privacy risks brought by this significant trend of large-scale crowd-powered processing of app users' data generated in their daily activities. We consider the representative case of receipt scanning apps that have millions of users, and focus on the corresponding receipt transcription tasks that appear popularly on crowdsourcing platforms. We design and conduct an app user survey study (n=108) to explore how app users perceive privacy in the context of using receipt scanning apps. We also design and conduct a crowd worker survey study (n=102) to explore crowd workers' experiences on receipt and other types of transcription tasks as well as their attitudes towards such tasks. Overall, we found that most app users and crowd workers expressed strong concerns about the potential privacy risks to receipt owners, and they also had a very high level of agreement with the need for protecting receipt owners' privacy. Our work provides insights on app users' potential privacy risks in crowdsourcing, and highlights the need and challenges for protecting third party users' privacy on crowdsourcing platforms. We have responsibly disclosed our findings to the related crowdsourcing platform and app providers.

Co-Creating News Oases in Media Deserts

The Media Deserts Project is a research effort to map and model the changing media landscape in the United States. Media deserts are defined as geographies lacking fresh, daily news and information. Using circulation data of US print newspapers, emerging hyperlocal online news sites in digital networks, and broadband access data from the Federal Communication Commission, the Media Deserts Project maps these changes using geographic information systems down to the zip code level, making visible local communication systems and gaps. To develop community-centered news and information solutions, this research team used community-based research practices, where students engaged with residents, local business leaders, health, education, and other administrators to examine the communication needs of three specific communities in Southeast Ohio. We centered our efforts on building relationships with community members and designing localized media tools. We learned key insights that we believe may travel well into other projects using community-based engagement, participatory design, and co-creation practices.

Synergizing Digital, Biological, and Participatory Sciences for Global Plant Species Identification: Enabling access to a worldwide identification service

Human activities have a growing impact on global biodiversity. While our understanding of biodiversity worldwide is not yet comprehensive, it is crucial to explore effective means of characterizing it in order to mitigate these impacts. The advancements in data storage, exchange capabilities, and the increasing availability of extensive taxonomic, ecological, and environmental databases offer possibilities for implementing new approaches that can address knowledge gaps regarding species and habitats. This enhanced knowledge will, in turn, facilitate improved management practices and enable better local governance of territories. Meeting these requirements necessitates the development of innovative tools and methods to respond to these needs. Citizen science platforms have emerged as valuable resources for generating large amounts of biodiversity data, thanks to their visibility and attractiveness to individuals involved in territorial management and education. These platforms present new opportunities to train deep learning models for automated species recognition, leveraging the substantial volumes of multimedia data they accumulate. However, effectively managing, curating, and disseminating the data and services generated by these platforms remains a significant challenge that hinders the achievement of their objectives. In line with this, the GUARDEN and MAMBO European projects aim to utilize the Pl@ntNet participatory science platform (Affouard et al. 2021) to develop and implement novel computational services to enable the widespread creation of floristic inventories. In the pursuit of this project, various standards and reference datasets have been employed, such as the POWO (Plants of the World Online) world checklist and the WGSRPD (World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions) standard, to establish a foundation for creating a global service that aids in plant identification through visual analysis. This service relies on a NoSQL (Not Only Structured Query Language) data management system ArangoDB (Arango Database), utilizes state-of-the-art automated visual classification models (vision transformers), and operates on a distributed IT (Information Technology) infrastructure that leverages the capabilities of collaborative stakeholders interested in supporting this initiative. Global-scale automated workflows have been established specifically for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of illustrated occurrences of plant species. These workflows now enable the development of new IT tools that facilitate the description and monitoring of species and habitat conservation statuses. A comprehensive presentation highlighting the significant advancements achieved will be provided to share the lessons learned during its development and ensure the widespread adoption of this service within the scientific community.

Conversational Context-sensitive Ad Generation with a Few Core-Queries

When people are talking together in front of digital signage, advertisements that are aware of the context of the dialogue will work the most effectively. However, it has been challenging for computer systems to retrieve the appropriate advertisement from among the many options presented in large databases. Our proposed system, the Conversational Context-sensitive Advertisement generator (CoCoA), is the first attempt to apply masked word prediction to web information retrieval that takes into account the dialogue context. The novelty of CoCoA is that advertisers simply need to prepare a few abstract phrases, called Core-Queries, and then CoCoA automatically generates a context-sensitive expression as a complete search query by utilizing a masked word prediction technique that adds a word related to the dialogue context to one of the prepared Core-Queries. This automatic generation frees the advertisers from having to come up with context-sensitive phrases to attract users’ attention. Another unique point is that the modified Core-Query offers users speaking in front of the CoCoA system a list of context-sensitive advertisements. CoCoA was evaluated by crowd workers regarding the context-sensitivity of the generated search queries against the dialogue text of multiple domains prepared in advance. The results indicated that CoCoA could present more contextual and practical advertisements than other web-retrieval systems. Moreover, CoCoA acquired a higher evaluation in a particular conversation that included many travel topics to which the Core-Queries were designated, implying that it succeeded in adapting the Core-Queries for the specific ongoing context better than the compared method without any effort on the part of the advertisers. In addition, case studies with users and advertisers revealed that the context-sensitive advertisements generated by CoCoA also had an effect on the content of the ongoing dialogue. Specifically, since pairs unfamiliar with each other more frequently referred to the advertisement CoCoA displayed, the advertisements had an effect on the topics about which the pairs spoke. Moreover, participants of an advertiser role recognized that some of the search queries generated by CoCoA fit the context of a conversation and that CoCoA improved the effect of the advertisement. In particular, they learned how to design of designing a good Core-Query at ease by observing the users’ response to the advertisements retrieved with the generated search queries.