Scientific Expertise Research Articles

Perceived drivers of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Mubende and Kassanda districts, Uganda: a qualitative study

IntroductionDuring the most recent Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Uganda, a cluster of community deaths with epidemiological linkages to the first reported case were identified to have occurred in...

‘Water resource’ framing for the value and governance of glacier water availability in the semi-arid Chilean Andes

Water scarcity associated with glacier retreat in mountainous regions is of growing concern worldwide, especially in arid regions, where precipitation is scarce or seasonal. Scientists and decision makers aim to respond to glacier driven water scarcity by improving glacier protection and developing water resource management strategies. Despite the increasingly prominent ‘water resource’ lens for understanding the changing mountain cryosphere, little research has investigated what this framing means for how different actors value, study, manage, and protect cryospheric water stores. This paper therefore presents a critical analysis of how we conceptualise the importance of glaciers. Specifically, this paper examines how environmental campaigns, scientific research, and policy interact to make glaciers into a water resource, and how this impacts glacier protection. Focusing on a case study of glacier management and protection in the Chilean Andes, the motivations and processes that made glaciers into a water resource in Chile are examined, and the impacts of this for glacier protection in a country where glaciers are exposed to threats from climate change and the mining industry are explored. This paper presents qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with experts in glacier science, policy, and environmental campaigning, and documents associated with managing glaciers as a water resource in Chile. The research shows how, in response to mining threats, glaciers were strategically framed as water resources by environmental campaigners to improve Chilean state protection. This framing was institutionalised within Chile’s water resource management system through science and policy, resulting in some successful protection legislation. However, this resource framing has also integrated glaciers into a system which inherently limits their protection, because their protection is conditional on the shifting ways glaciers are valued for storing and releasing water to downstream communities and ecosystems. Here, we highlight processes that make glaciers into a resource, demonstrate that glaciological knowledge is not directly translated into policy, and importantly, show how managing glaciers as a resource may limit, or even undermine glacier protection efforts. As concern globally grows about water scarcity driven by glacial retreat, these findings are vital for the development of glacier protections and effective management of glacial water.

Manuscript Sources and Medial Transfer in the Research of Early Modern Disputations: From Administration to Exchange of Knowledge

The scholarship of early modern disputations has concentrated on printed theses, since they are one of the most common types of prints in the era. Although preserved minutes transcribing what was said while these theses were discussed are rare, this article argues that it is worth giving due consideration to such manuscript sources when it comes to researching this very topic. Endeavouring to investigate Catholic and Protestant examples from Central Europe between 1580 and 1660, I explore four areas where handwritten documents, such as university records and student notebooks, have the potential to nuance our understanding of different traditions pertaining to disputation. In comparison to the printed disputations typical for Protestant Europe, manuscripts with Catholic and Jesuit provenance reveal a different function of scholarly debates, which were less focused on the individual performance of the respondent and served more as a method of recapitulation in everyday education. Protestant examples, on the other hand, demonstrate that disputations played a distinguished role in the exchange of scientific knowledge and expertise. During the process of professors and students conveying information from their homeland to university centres and back, disputations changed medium from print to manuscript, and vice versa.

Community Empowerment through Strengthening Students' Competence through the Production of Eco-Enzymes at Al-Mashum Mardiyah Islamic Boarding School, Cugenang District, Cianjur Regency, West Java

Al-Mashum Mardiyah is an Islamic educational institution located at Jalan Simpang Galudra number 76, Cugenang District, Cianjur Regency, West Java, 79.6 KM from the Faculty of Industrial Technology, Jayabaya University. This pesantren was founded because many children in Galudra Village dropped out of school, illiterate and married at a young age even though Galudara Village is not far from Jakarta. This pesantren has a junior high school, high school and vocational school, where graduates from this pesantren are expected to be experts in religion, science and technology based on the Qur'an. SMK Al- Ma'shum Mardiyah has a curriculum about agrotechnology that has an entrepreneurial spirit. The results of discussions with partners at the pesantren, there are problems regarding the production aspect, where the types of products produced by SMK students are still limited. In this PkM which was carried out on July 22 and August 26-30, partners were taught to produce eco-enzymes. The eco-enzyme is made from vegetable waste collected by vocational students around the school. The benefits of this activity are felt by the community because it can increase the type of production. The material presented was understood by 95% of the participants who attended the training

“Faith Not Works”: Chance Encounters and the Origins of Britain’s First Consultancy in Architectural Acoustics

Abstract Britain’s first independent architectural acoustic consultancy came into being at the close of World War I. Given the demonstrated disinterest in and lack of credence afforded to acoustics in architectural education and the complications encountered in incorporating acoustics into building design in Britain prior to the war, the emergence of a professional consultancy was neither predictable nor systematic. Yet this new direction in architecture did emerge, arising from a particular set of circumstances and a confluence of mindsets. Through an examination of the origins of that consultancy, this article weaves together the threads of chance, intellectual cohesion, and wartime circumstances that set the stage for a new form of applied design and scientific expertise. By drawing on personal letters, diaries, war documentation, government correspondence, and contemporaneous journals, it maps a trajectory of thought and interdisciplinary collaboration that took shape under the most unlikely of circumstances.

A Review of the Philosophy of Flood Risk Communication and Education: New Insights Informed by Critical Complexity

The approach to flooding in the U.S. is strongly influenced by research and practices that place the responsibility for managing risk on scientific and technical experts. But there is a recognition that the public generally needs to be more engaged and responsible. There is currently a disconnect between the objective knowledge of experts and the more subjective ways in which people experience floods and flood risk. To bridge this gap, I start with a review of the philosophy that informs government policies and the societal worldview. While societal leaders have maintained a mechanistic vision of a world that is ultimately knowable and controllable, scientific understandings have progressed to see the world as complex. Understanding the world as complex implies a need for multiple, mutually supporting knowledges. The philosophy of critical complexity inspired by Paul Cilliers motivates a blending and balancing of complementary objective and subjective understandings, an approach I term complexability. An example shows how data and models utilized routinely by hydrologists can be reoriented to better convey flood risk to the public and provide opportunities for discussion and engagement.

Navigating the oncology drug discovery and development process with programmes supported by the National Institutes of Health.

The translation of basic drug discoveries from laboratories to clinical use presents substantial challenges. Factors such as insufficient funding, misdirected project focus, and inability to understand a drug's limitations or strengths contribute to the difficulty of this process. To address these issues, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established various resources dedicated to streamlining drug development. The NIH offers access to regularly curated databases encompassing categories like drug discovery, target discovery, genomics, proteomics, and clinical datasets. The NIH also provides access to key resources through various programmes, such as the Developmental Therapeutics Program, focusing on preclinical drug discovery and the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, which oversees clinical trial efforts for investigational agents. These resources might include funding opportunities, access to a network of scientific experts, and services to address gaps in scientific work. This Review explores the diverse platforms and resources available at the NIH and outlines how researchers can leverage them to expedite the drug development process.

PENDAMPINGAN PUBLIC SPEAKING PADA RISMA (REMAJA ISLAM MASJID) SMPN 45 BANDUNG)

Public speaking is an important skill that can affect one's performance in public. The ability to speak confidently, clearly and convincingly is key to success when speaking in public, including to academic, professional and social audiences. This activity highlights the importance of mastering Public Speaking in improving speaking performance and delivering material in public.This activity was carried out at SMPN 45 Bandung with participants from the extracurricular activities of the Islamic Youth Mosque. This training aims to improve the Public Speaking performance of extracurricular members of the Islamic Youth Mosque who are still not maximized in delivering material in public. This activity was attended by 30 participants with resource persons and activity assistants from the Telkom University Lecturer Team with a background in Communication Science expertise. By mastering public speaking, good public speaking skills can boost confidence, influence audiences more effectively, and deliver messages more clearly and convincingly. In addition, public speaking skills help reduce anxiety, boost confidence and eliminate the fear of public speaking, and open up opportunities to achieve success in various career fields. Thus, investing in the development of public speaking skills is an important step towards achieving good performance and an important asset in personal and professional life.

Beyond Social Media: The Influence of News Consumption, Populism, and Expert Trust on Belief in COVID-19 Misinformation

The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an unprecedented influx of misinformation often with adverse impact on the effectiveness of institutional responses to the health crisis. However, relatively little is still known about the factors that may have facilitated the proliferation and public acceptance of misinformation related to the virus or to the government’s anti-pandemic measures, particularly in comparative perspective. Utilizing data collected by a representative cross-country survey ( N = 5,000) in four countries led by populist leaders during the pandemic—Brazil, Poland, Serbia, and the United States—this study explores the links between three mutually interrelated factors, namely media usage across different platforms, affinity to populism, and trust in scientific expertise, and people’s beliefs in selected COVID-related misinformation. The findings show that preexisting attitudes, especially affinity to populism and mistrust in experts, are generally stronger predictors of people’s likelihood to endorse misinformation related to the pandemic than their news consumption patterns. Nevertheless, the analysis also indicates an important role played by exposure to specific media brands, particularly those promoting a skeptical stance toward preventive measures and COVID-19 vaccines, as well as messaging apps, which display stronger relationship with misinformation beliefs than social networking sites. The article concludes by discussing implications for practical efforts to combat misinformation, especially during a health crisis.

Exploring mitigation strategies for smog crisis in Lahore: a review for environmental health, and policy implications.

Smog, a combined form of atmospheric pollutants, dust, and smoke with fog under sunlight, poses a significant threat to human health and the environment by reducing visibility. Urban air pollution exposure can cause respiratory issues like asthma, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, high blood pressure, lung cancer, and other health issues like diabetes, cognitive decline, and even birth defects. As smog has become a growing global issue with severe impacts on public health, ecosystems, and economies, this study analyzes its effects and identifies appropriate policies for its mitigation. This study aims to determine effective smog mitigation strategies for Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 50 scientific studies previously published related to PM2.5 and PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, O3 and Ch4 were examined in this study. In addition to peer-reviewed scientific research, the smog data from the last decade, from 2014 to 2024, from various sources was analyzed to deduce the necessary information to do so. Furthermore, an online survey was also conducted to gather expert opinions on key smog mitigation policies which were identified in previous studies. The findings highlight five critical areas for reducing smog in Lahore-Pakistan: Nature-based Solutions, Transportation Measures, Industrial Measures, Domestic Measures, and Public Awareness. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of collaborative partnerships with neighboring countries to address this shared environmental challenge. As a final recommendation, an emergency plan is proposed for smog-heavy days, suggesting temporary controls on vehicle use, industrial production, and outdoor activities to mitigate immediate health risks. By combining scientific evidence, historical data, and expert perspectives, this study offers a comprehensive strategy to address smog in Lahore, further contributing to broader local, regional, and global efforts.

A Consensus Framework for Evaluating Dispute Resolution Alternatives in International Law Using an Interval-Valued Type-2 Fuzzy TOPSIS Approach

This research is motivated by the arbitrary nature of decision-making environments and the dynamic changes in decision patterns, particularly in international dispute resolution. These challenges introduce uncertainties that could be effectively managed by fuzzy logic, which provides a robust framework for evaluating alternatives under multiple criteria. In this study, an Interval-Valued Type-2 Fuzzy TOPSIS approach is proposed to assess various dispute resolution methods, including negotiation, good offices, mediation, international inquiry, conciliation, international organization, arbitration, and international jurisdiction. Common criteria are determined by examining academic literature and by interviewing relevant experts.—cost-efficiency, duration, impartiality, binding nature, and generalizability are considered essential in determining the best resolution method. The proposed method allows for a nuanced evaluation by incorporating both primary and secondary levels of uncertainty, enabling decision-makers to determine the best alternative solution more reliably. This method’s application extends not only to the international law field but also to industrial engineering, where complex, uncertain decision environments require similarly sophisticated multicriteria decision-making tools. By systematically analyzing these resolution methods, this study aims to provide a structured, quantifiable approach that enhances the decision-making process for both international legal practitioners and engineers working with uncertain and dynamic systems. The results of this study ultimately contribute to improved decision-making outcomes and greater efficiency in multidisciplinary problem solving. The assessments of experts in international law, international relations, and political science in their respective fields of expertise have been gathered to form a consensus. This study contributes to the literature as it is the pioneering application of fuzzy multicriteria decision-making techniques in the field of international law. The results of this study imply that the best option from the different decision-maker evaluations is international jurisdiction. Consequently, the utilization of multicriteria decision-making tools can result in more informed and effective decisions in complex and uncertain situations, which is advantageous to both legal practitioners and engineers. Additionally, incorporating different disciplines can help streamline the decision-making process and improve overall efficiency in solving multidisciplinary problems.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the 5-Question Stigma Indicators in trachoma-affected communities, Ethiopia.

Stigma is common in people affected with Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). However, no validated tools are available to assess and monitor stigma in trachoma-affected communities. We tested the cross-cultural equivalence of the 5-question stigma indicator-affected persons (5-QSI-AP) scale in persons with trachomatous trichiasis (TT), the blinding stage of trachoma, and the 5-question stigma indicator-community stigma (5-QSI-CS) scale in person without TT, in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Conceptual, item, semantic, and operational equivalence were assessed through exploratory qualitative methods; measurement equivalence was assessed quantitatively through internal consistency, construct validity, and reproducibility. A total of 390 people participated: 181 were persons with TT, 182 persons without TT, 19 mental health, trachoma, social science, and linguistics experts, and eight interviewers. Items included in both scales were adequately relevant and important to explore stigma in the target culture. Concern about others knowing that they have TT, shame, avoidance by others, and problems getting married or in their marriage were among the issues persons with TT faced in this study community. The 5-QSI-AP had a Cronbach's α of 0.57 for internal consistency and showed adequate discriminant validity where persons with central corneal opacity from TT had higher mean stigma scores than their counterparts. The 5-QSI-CS had a Cronbach's α of 0.70 for internal consistency and a correlation of r = 0.23 with the Social Distance Scale (SDS) for convergent validity. The test-retest reliability analysis between the initial and repeat measures produced an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.60 and 0.53 for the 5-QSI-AP and 5-QSI-CS respectively, and no evidence of systematic bias in mean stigma scores. The 5-QSI scales have satisfactory cultural validity to assess and monitor stigma in this trachoma-affected Amharic-speaking study population. With further cross-cultural validation, these brief and easy to administer scales would offer the possibility to rapidly measure and monitor stigma associated with NTDs.

Scanning transmission electron tomography to study virus assembly: Review for the retirement of Paul Walther.

In this short and popular review, we summarise some of our findings analysing the replication cycles of large DNA viruses using scanning transmission electron tomography (STEM tomography) that we applied in the laboratory of Paul Walther. It is also a tribute to a very kind and expert scientist, who recently retired. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in particular cryo-EM, has benefited tremendously from recent developments in instrumentation. However, TEM imaging remains limited by the thickness of the specimen and classical thin-section TEM typically generates 2D representations of 3D volumes. Although TEM tomography can partly overcome this limitation, the thickness of the sample, the volume that can be analysed in 3D, remains limiting. STEM tomography can partly overcome this problem, as it allows for the analysis of thicker samples, up to 1 µm in thickness. As such, it is an interesting imaging technique to analyse large DNA viruses, some of which measure 1 µm or more, and which is the focus of our research interest.

Synthesis of chiral gold helicoid nanoparticles using glutathione.

Chiral plasmonic nanostructures are in high demand because of their unique optical properties, which are applicable to polarization control, chiral sensing and biomedical applications. An easy and scalable synthesis method for these nanostructures may facilitate their development further. We have reported the synthesis for 432-symmetric chiral plasmonic nanoparticles by using a seed-mediated colloidal method facilitated by a chiral amino acid and peptides. Among those, 432 helicoid III nanoparticles particularly exhibited well-defined chiral morphologies and exceptional chiroptic properties, evidenced by a Kuhn's dissymmetry factor (g-factor) of 0.2, making them valuable for various applications. Here, we detail the synthesis stages, including the synthesis of seed nanoparticles, the verification of each stage outcome and the calibration of synthesis conditions. We further illustrate the troubleshooting section and video-document the stages to facilitate the reliable reproduction of 432 helicoid III nanoparticles. The procedure requires 8 h to complete and can be carried out by users with expertise in chemistry or materials science.

Exploring Teachers' Educational Philosophies: A Comparative Analysis Based on Geographic Classifications

This qualitative phenomenological research explores the lived experiences of key informants through in-depth interviews and participant observation. The teacher-participants, who work in three geographical areas, were identified by the Department of Education (DepED) in the Schools Division Office of Albay. The study is grounded in the phenomenological concepts and principles of Husserl (1859-1938) and Heidegger (1889-1976), along with the Reflection-Action perspective of Freire (1921-1997), to capture the essence of their experiences. Due to the global health crisis caused by COVID-19, data collection utilized virtual platforms such as Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, Zoom, and phone calls, in addition to face-to-face interviews when possible. Health protocols mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), including mask-wearing, social distancing, and the use of hand sanitizer, were strictly followed to ensure safety. The findings indicate that teachers from rural, urban, and coastal areas reflect various educational philosophies such as essentialism, humanism/existentialism, pragmatism/progressivism, reconstructionism, constructivism, idealism, behaviorism, and perennialism. Some teacher-participants from rural and coastal areas also exhibit positivism, influenced by their expertise in mathematics and science. These educational philosophies enhance their coping mechanisms and teaching competencies to adjust to the local cultural realities.

Vigilant trust in scientific expertise

This paper investigates the value of trust and the proper attitude lay people ought to have towards scientific experts. Trust in expertise is usually considered to be valuable, while distrust is often analyzed in cases where it is harmful. I will draw on accounts from political philosophy and argue that it is not only public trust that is valuable when it comes to scientific expertise – but also public vigilance. Expertise may be distorted in different ways, which cannot be remedied by internal control mechanisms alone. This reveals the importance of some forms of democratic oversight. The proper attitude is vigilant trust in expertise. However, vigilant trust seems to be a contradictory notion: How can one be trusting and watchful at the same time? I will show that it is not, and that trust and vigilance can be compatible to a certain extent. I will do so by distinguishing between different levels of both trust and vigilance. Interestingly, this argument requires acknowledging the value of some forms of distrust in scientific expertise, even if that distrust targets trustworthy experts.

Comparison of free-comment online product reviews and central location product testing for sensory product characterisation: A case study with coffee consumers

Data from online product reviews offers a novel avenue for the sensory characterisation of food. But, little research has investigated the quality of sensory information in the online reviews. The aim of this research was to investigate consumer online reviews as sources of sensory attributes of food products (starting with a minimum of 1000 online reviews per product), and to assess how the resulting sensory product profiles compare to profiles obtained in a central location test with 105 consumers using rate-all-that-apply (RATA) questions. A case study was conducted with five unflavoured coffee samples. A semi-automated approach, combining natural language processing and sensory science expertise was used to clean online review data, develop a sensory lexicon, and analyse the frequency of attributes used by consumers. It was possible to develop online review-based sensory product profiles and discriminate the five samples on this basis. Consumers used a small set of broad, mostly intensity related sensory terms (e.g. ‘Bold/rich’, ‘Strong/intense’, ‘Smooth’, ‘Weak/bland’) more frequently than descriptive terms. Canonical analysis showed high agreement between new method and RATA for product discrimination and between two group of descriptors. The first group (including ‘Coffee Flavor,’ ‘Rich in Flavor’, and ‘Smell of Coffee’) is associated with the intensity of flavour of coffee, while the second group describes characteristic flavour of coffee (including ‘Bold’, ‘Dark’ ‘Body’). Furthermore, care should be taken when implementing these findings in food categories with lower levels of consumer engagement, where consumer comments relating to sensory properties in online reviews may be less frequent.

Promoting best practices in ocean forecasting through an Operational Readiness Level

Predicting the ocean state in a reliable and interoperable way, while ensuring high-quality products, requires forecasting systems that synergistically combine science-based methodologies with advanced technologies for timely, user-oriented solutions. Achieving this objective necessitates the adoption of best practices when implementing ocean forecasting services, resulting in the proper design of system components and the capacity to evolve through different levels of complexity. The vision of OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center, endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, is to support this challenge by developing a “predicted ocean based on a shared and coordinated global effort” and by working within a collaborative framework that encompasses worldwide expertise in ocean science and technology. To measure the capacity of ocean forecasting systems, the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center proposes a novel approach based on the definition of an Operational Readiness Level (ORL). This approach is designed to guide and promote the adoption of best practices by qualifying and quantifying the overall operational status. Considering three identified operational categories - production, validation, and data dissemination - the proposed ORL is computed through a cumulative scoring system. This method is determined by fulfilling specific criteria, starting from a given base level and progressively advancing to higher levels. The goal of ORL and the computed scores per operational category is to support ocean forecasters in using and producing ocean data, information, and knowledge. This is achieved through systems that attain progressively higher levels of readiness, accessibility, and interoperability by adopting best practices that will be linked to the future design of standards and tools. This paper discusses examples of the application of this methodology, concluding on the advantages of its adoption as a reference tool to encourage and endorse services in joining common frameworks.

Assessment of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution: An exposure framework.

Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with morbidity and mortality, making it an important public health concern. Emissions from motorized traffic are a common source of air pollution but evaluating the contribution of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) emissions to health risks is challenging because it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of individual air pollution sources to exposure contrasts in an epidemiological study. This paper describes a new framework to identify whether air pollution differences reflect contrasts in TRAP exposures. Because no commonly measured pollutant is entirely specific to on-road motor vehicles, this exposure framework combined information on pollutants, spatial scale (i.e., geographic extent), and exposure assessment methods and their spatial scale to determine whether the estimated effect of air pollution in a given study was related to differences in TRAP. The exposure framework extended beyond the near-road environment to include differences in exposure to TRAP at neighborhood resolution ( ≤ 5 km) across urban, regional, and national scales. It also embedded a stricter set of criteria to identify studies that provided the strongest evidence that exposure contrasts were related to differences in traffic emissions. Application of the framework to the transparent selection of epidemiological studies for a systematic review produced insights on assessing and improving comparability of TRAP exposure measures, particularly for indirect measures such as distances from roads. It also highlighted study design challenges related to the duration of measurements and the structure of epidemiological models. This manuscript describes a new exposure framework to identify studies of traffic-related air pollution, a case study of its application in an HEI systematic review, and its implications for exposure science and air pollution epidemiology experts. It identifies challenges and provides recommendations for the field going forward. It is important to bring this information to the attention of researchers in air pollution exposure science and epidemiology because applying the broader lessons learned will improve the conduct and reporting of studies going forward.

Critical Data for Critical Care: A Primer on Leveraging Electronic Health Record Data for Research From Society of Critical Care Medicine's Panel on Data Sharing and Harmonization.

A growing body of critical care research draws on real-world data from electronic health records (EHRs). The bedside clinician has myriad data sources to aid in clinical decision-making, but the lack of data sharing and harmonization standards leaves much of this data out of reach for multi-institution critical care research. The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Discovery Data Science Campaign convened a panel of critical care and data science experts to explore and document unique advantages and opportunities for leveraging EHR data in critical care research. This article reviews and illustrates six organizing topics (data domains and common data elements; data harmonization; data quality; data interoperability and digital infrastructure; data access, sharing, and governance; and ethics and equity) as a data science primer for critical care researchers, laying a foundation for future publications from the SCCM Discovery Data Harmonization and Sharing Guiding Principles Panel.