Formal Research Research Articles

“The 21st century professionalization?”: online education as an instrument for bolstering individual welfare and societal equality

Abstract Since the start of the last decade of the 20th century, the application of digital technologies with the potential of making substantial contributions to a community’s welfare have led to the creation of the literature of Public Interest Technologies and reinvigorated many areas of focus in the social sciences. A relevant subfield of this literature has been the application of new technologies to education to increase social public benefits. The traditional literature on higher education seems to agree that the expansion of this good throughout a society is desirable because it generates direct and indirect individual gains, as well as aggregate level social benefits in the form of positive externalities. However, some authors have argued that the acquisition of postsecondary education has its own drawbacks: unwanted intellectual influence of instructors on students, barriers to access for students of historically vulnerable sociodemographic groups, as well as students’ perception of a reduced pay-off from going to college. While there have been some indices that online higher education could abate many of these issues, there has been relatively little formal research to test this tool’s impact. Using a quantitative approach, via cross-section and time-series data analysis, the text finds some evidence that online higher education could solve many of higher education’s drawbacks, while also being a feasible approach given the current technological environment of the United States. The text concludes outlining future research using a mixed-methods approach that could be highly valuable to acquire a more comprehensive view and robust evidence of online higher education’s potential of expanding social public benefits.

Street Venders' Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices and Consumers' Preference About Street Food Marketing in Chennai City

Purpose-The purpose of a study on "Street Vendors' Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices and Consumers' Preference About Street Food Marketing" typically revolves around several key objectives.The study would typically aim to inform public health efforts, regulatory policies, and the support structures needed for street vendors to improve food safety while meeting consumer demand. Design/methodology/approach-This study adopts a descriptive cross-sectional design to gather information on the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of street vendors related to food safety. It also examines consumer preferences regarding street food marketing and their perceptions of food safety.This study adopts a descriptive cross-sectional design to gather information on the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of street vendors related to food safety.A sample of approximately 150 street vendors and 150 consumers will be targeted for this study, providing a representative overview of the practices and preferences in Chennai’s Street food sector. Findings-Food Safety Knowledge Gaps: Many street vendors in Chennai have limited formal knowledge about food safety, with gaps in understanding key areas such as personal hygiene, food handling, and the risks of cross-contamination.Inconsistent Attitudes and Practices: Vendors generally express positive attitudes toward maintaining hygiene, understanding its importance for consumer health and business success. Originality/value-Underserved Research Area: Street food vending is a significant part of the informal economy, particularly in developing regions, but often lacks sufficient formal research. This study explores an area where academic and policy-focused research may be limited, making it a fresh and critical investigation. Focus on Food Safety in Informal Settings: While food safety is well-documented in formal food industries, there is less research on how informal vendors manage food safety. This study provides original insights into how these vendors understand and practice food safety without formal training or resources.

Statutory Concepts of the Mechanism of Regulating Property Turnover Relations

Introduction: the scientific paper aims to analyze the conditions for the formation of the statutory concept of the mechanism of the civil regulation of property (civil) turnover relations. The relevance of the topic is related to the specifics of property turnover relations, which determines the individual (for specific participants in legal relations) statutory concept of regulating and the need to determine the conditions for the formation of the statutory concept for regulating relations within the framework of property turnover. Methods: as a part of the study, a comparative law method was used, which made it possible to identify differences in violations when using the image of a citizen; a systematic approach; a formal logical research method. Results: the analysis of the current legislation of the Russian Federation has been carried out, and the conditions associated with the formation of the statutory concept of the mechanism of the civil regulation of relations in the field of property turnover have been determined. Conclusions: it is determined that the basic statutory concept of the civil mechanism is formed taking into account the objectives of the activities of the participants in the turnover and can be supplemented depending on the circumstances. Such a statutory concept legally ensures the satisfaction of private interests. In case of violation of interests, the protective means of the mechanism of the civil regulation are used, which “help” to restore the property status of the injured party.

Consensus definition of a radiologically healed fistula on magnetic resonance imaging in perianal Crohn’s disease: an international Delphi study

IntroductionPerianal fistulising Crohn’s disease (pfCD) is a distinct and debilitating phenotype seen in around one-third of patients with CD. Clinical trials in pfCD are increasingly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria as a primary endpoint, but there is heterogeneity in the radiological definition of a healed perianal fistula that currently limits our ability to perform meaningful meta-analyses of studies. Our aim is to standardise outcomes through the generation of an international consensus definition of a radiologically healed fistula.Methods and analysisThis international Delphi consensus study employs a two-part strategy.The first is a systematic review to identify a longlist of variables used to define radiological healing in pfCD. MRI-based indices used to score fistula severity and healing will be assessed for their methodological quality using Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). The systematic review protocol will be conducted using COSMIN methodology and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.The second part will be an online Delphi consensus, guided by the results of the systematic review. Radiologists, gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons with expertise in the management of pfCD will be invited to take part in two to three rounds of online surveys. Once an a priori threshold of >80% agreement is reached on individual radiological components used to define ‘healing’ and ‘healed’, a final meeting of key stakeholders will be organised to generate a consensus definition of a healed fistula.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been deemed exempt from a formal Research Ethics Committee review as no patients will participate directly in the consensus process, given the technical nature of the research question. The study is registered with the local R&D department (Reference RD24/007). Publication of this study will help standardise radiological endpoint measurement in clinical trials of pfCD and improve the synthesis and meta-analysis of comparative studies.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42024504334.

Education along border regions in Ireland: Challenges and opportunities

A one-year research project with communities along the border in Ireland, the only land border between the UK and the European Union, examined primary schooling. Created just over a century ago, the border's permeability has varied over time. Some children cross the border to attend primary school, in both directions, but no formal research appears to have been conducted in relation to this movement, its scale or its impact. The 229 primary schools within 3 miles of the border serve diverse communities, some of which appear to straddle the border. Some schools attract some of their intake from across the border, and they may rely on that movement of learners to keep them sustainable, but there has been no published research into how schools in these communities operate, the challenges they face and the opportunities that they can exploit due to their location. In this study, the degree to which the opportunities to use schools across the border is examined and the impact that this has on parents and children and on the schools themselves is explored. Visits to a range of schools on each side of the border and events open to the communities along the border provided considerable information, and a Geographical Information System was used to analyse potential movements of children across the border. The research is original and, while sample sizes are relatively small, this is an important first step to better understand the education provision in these communities. While particularly significant for the people who live in these complex communities, it also contributes to a greater understanding of border education provision which will be important as consideration about the future of the border in Ireland intensifies. Border communities elsewhere may also find consideration of educational provision for liminal communities of interest.

Academic Staff Perceptions on Graduate Students’ Attitudes towards Academic Writing and Research in Selected Public Universities in Uganda

The study aimed to find out academic staff perceptions of graduate students’ attitudes towards academic writing and research skills in selected Public Universities in Uganda. It employed a phenomenological design and a qualitative approach. Graduate students, academic staff, and academic administrative staff as the study population. Study participants depended on the saturation of the findings collected. These participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data from academic administrative staff and academic staff were collected using an interview guide. A focus group discussion guide for graduate students was the second data collection tool. Data were analysed using the thematic data analysis technique. Results showed that academic staff perceptions of graduate students’ attitudes on academic writing and research skills were negative. Negative perceptions were recorded on the generation of research ideas, enthusiasm, text structure, formal academic language, paraphrasing, plagiarism, and making citations. The study concluded that the perceptions of academic staff on graduate students’ attitudes towards academic writing and research were generally negative on the generation of research ideas, enthusiasm, use of formal academic research language, paraphrasing, plagiarism, and making citations. Thus, it was recommended that supervisors/mentors should be retooled in active research-based instructional supervision where they can be encouraged to work in groups, and initiate professional activities, such as mentoring and coaching, to assist them in supervising and evaluating graduate students’ research projects

Consideration of Labor Cases by Special Labor Courts as a Way to Optimize the Civil Process in the New Economic Policy Period

The article is devoted to the scientific development of the problem of consideration and resolution of labor cases by courts. The purpose of the work is to study the historical experience of considering and resolving labor cases in civil proceedings by special labor sessions of people’s courts during the New economic policy period on the basis of comparative historical and formal legal research methods, scientific principles of objectivity and historicism. The creation of special labor sessions of people’s courts was motivated by the need for those who resolved disputes to have special knowledge and skills to consider labor cases, and also correlated with the focus on accessibility of justice for workers and the course towards optimizing legal proceedings. The article traces changes in the normative regulation of the activities of labor sessions, identifies the role of the Supreme Court of the RSFSR in filling gaps in the law, and analyzes the problems of jurisdiction and jurisdiction of labor cases. Based on the analysis of judicial practice materials (primarily the rulings of the Civil Cassation Board of the Supreme Court of the RSFSR), the peculiarities of the civil process when considering labor disputes during the New economic policy period are revealed: in the subject composition (thus, representatives of trade unions could be representatives of their members), in matters of evidence and proof, due to the initiative of the court and the specifics of the cases.

Deep Learning Methods to Mitigate Human-Factor-Related Accidents in Maritime Transport

Artificial intelligence aims to be the solution to multiple engineering problems by trying to emulate the human learning process. In this sense, maritime transport standards have clearly evolved, which are based on two principal pillars: the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Based on a formal safety assessment research process, these pillars try to solve most of the maritime transport accidents, which, in their final steps, are associated with human factors. In this research, an original methodology employing a deep learning process for image recognition during mooring line operation, a dangerous process on ships, is developed. The main results indicate that the proposed method is an excellent tool for advising ship officers on watch and, consequently, provides a new way to prevent human factors onboard from causing accidents, which in the future must be considered in international standards.

Exploring perceived relationships between weather, climate and mental health: biometeorological perspectives of healthcare practitioners.

Over the last decade, there has been an increase in research examining the influence of weather and climate in mental health caseloads. Variations in temperature, sunshine hours, cloud cover, precipitation and extreme weather events have been statistically linked to diagnoses and increases in hospital admissions for several mental health conditions. This study aimed to explore whether mental health practitioners perceive there to be a link between mental health and daily, seasonal, or inter-annual shifts in various climate variables in South Africa, and the timing and causal mechanisms thereof. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 practicing healthcare practitioners, and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this research show that all 50 participants were aware of the link between weather, climate and mental health, primarily through their awareness of seasonal affective disorder. Of the 50 participants, 38 participants could explain the aetiology of seasonal affective disorder. Participants perceived sunlight and temperature to exert an influence on mental health. All 50 participants perceived exposure to sunlight to exert a positive influence on several mental health conditions. Of the 50 participants, 36 participants perceived increases in temperature to exert an adverse effect on mental health symptomology. A minority of 11 participants perceived precipitation to influence mental health conditions such as seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse disorder. Participants' perceptions of the influence of precipitation on mental health provided a unique potential explanation of this relationship, which, at the time of writing, has not been discussed in formal research.

State and law of the Chaghadai Ulus and early Timurid state as they were seen by foreign contemporaries

Research objectives: An analysis of official documents and notes of foreign contemporaries to clarify some aspects of political and legal life of the Chaghadai Ulus and early Timurid state in the 13th– beginning of 15th centuries. Materials and methods of research: The basic materials are official documents (diplomatic correspondence), travelers’ reports and notes, diaries and memoirs of travelers from different countries of Europe and Asia who visited the Chaghadai Ulus with different missions in the analyzed period as well as some official documents (diplomatic correspondence) between foreign and Mongol rulers. The methods of research are formal and historical legal research of historical documents, comparative legal analysis as well as historical approach in general. Scientific novelty: The state structure and legal relations in the Chaghadai Ulus and early Timurid state still have not been objects of special research. The author proposes to use works of foreign contemporaries as a tool to clarify some questions of political and legal life in the Chaghadaid state, finding similarities with other Chinggisid states and specific features of the region, its traditions, etc. Results of the research: The information of the analyzed historical documents, naturally, doesn’t allow one to reconstruct all aspects of political structure of Chaghadai Ulus and early Timurid state and their legal system in general, but adds valuable details to the information of other sources on history of this state – that is, historical chronicles (mainly of Timurid age) and legal monuments (khans’ yarliks and other official documents of the ulus). At that, we cannot ignore the fact that the Chaghadai Ulus before Timur was not considered as a full and authoritative member of international relations which is why contemporaries paid more attention to other Chinggisid states: The Golden Horde, Ilkhanate, Yuan Empire. However, the analysis of contemporaries’ notes could stimulate scholars to study some specific aspects of the Chaghadai Ulus’ history which were not researched before.

Pathways for Strengthening Lived Experience Leadership for Transformative Systems Change: Reflections on Research and Collective Change Strategies.

The Activating Lived Experience Leadership (ALEL) project was a South Australian participatory action research project that aimed to improve the ways lived experience is recognised, valued and integrated across mental health and social sector systems. ALEL was completed during 2019-2021, where it engaged 182 participants in generating community action and research knowledge. Our paper discusses the project's processes of building a collective partnership among lived experience leaders and other leaders from within the sector, so that the actions and strategies identified through research could be implemented by systems-level impact. We describe the collaborative process and key learnings that resulted in eight key action areas for transformative systems change in South Australia. The project invited a diverse range of self-identified lived experience and other leaders to be involved in a PAR process featuring formal qualitative research (focus groups, surveys and interviews) as well as community development activities (leaders' summit meetings, consultations, training and community of practice meetings). These processes were used to help us describe the purpose, achievements and potential of lived experience leadership. Project priorities and systems-level analysis was also undertaken with lived experience sector leaders and project advisors across two leaders' summit meetings, integrating research outcomes with sector planning to define high-level actions and a vision for transformational change. Participatory action research as informed by systems change and collective impact strategies assisted the project to generate detailed findings about the experiences and complexities of lived experience leadership, and collective responses of how systems could better support, be accountable to and leverage lived experience perspectives, experience and peer-work approaches. Systems change to define, value and embed lived experience leadership benefits from collective efforts in both formal research and sector development activities. These can be used to generate foundational understandings and guidance for working together in genuine ways for transforming mental health and social sector systems, experience and outcomes. Members of lived experience communities codesigned the project, and contributed to project governance and the development of all findings and project reports.

On improving the procedure for interaction of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities

An analysis of the experience of ombudsmen in foreign countries will identify the most effective methods and approaches in protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as the problems and difficulties faced by these institutions. It is important to note that the functions and powers of an ombudsman may vary significantly from country to country. The work provides an analysis of Russian legislation regulating the constitutional and legal status of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, and taking into account the experience of normative regulation of the constitutional and legal status of the Ombudsman abroad, the authors put forward proposals for improving the procedure for interaction between The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities. The study and analysis of foreign experience will make it possible to develop recommendations for improving the work of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and take into account international standards in the field of protection of human rights and freedoms.The work provides an analysis of Russian legislation regulating the constitutional and legal status of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, and taking into account the experience of normative regulation of the constitutional and legal status of the Ombudsman abroad, the authors put forward proposals for improving the procedure for interaction between The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities.We will consider these issues using general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, analogy, comparison, abstraction. In addition, the scientific article used specific historical, systemic-structural, functional, comparative legal, formal legal research methods, predetermined by the characteristics of the object and subject of scientific research, its purpose and objectives.Until now, not enough attention has been paid to analyzing the possibility of giving a mandatory character to the institution of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation. This means that its decisions and recommendations must be binding on other government bodies. This, in turn, can significantly increase the efficiency of this institution and improve the situation with the protection of human rights in the Russian Federation.

14-month-old female with anti-MDA5 juvenile dermatomyositis complicated by liver disease: a case report

BackgroundJuvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare disorder with subtypes associated with different myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs) including anti-MDA5. Hepatic involvement in JDM is rare and has not previously been documented in anti-MDA5 JDM. There is a lack of formal research on treatment protocols for anti-MDA5 JDM, though tofacitinib is a highly regarded emerging therapy.Case presentationA previously healthy 14-month-old Hispanic female presented to a pediatric rheumatology clinic with eight months of worsening rash, weakness, periorbital edema, intermittent fevers, and weight loss. Her physical exam was notable for fever, thinning of hair, heliotrope rash, periorbital edema, violaceous macules on her bilateral elbows, forearms, arms, and knees, arthritis, Gottron’s sign, and hepatomegaly. The patient was admitted, and symptoms progressed to include hypoxemia. Subsequent workup was notable for ground glass opacities of bilateral lung fields on chest CT, myositis visualized on MRI and confirmed with muscle biopsy, and liver biopsy showing nonspecific signs of liver injury. After a thorough infectious disease workup to rule out concomitant infection, the patient was started on high-dose steroids and induction with cyclophosphamide. She responded well with disease remission maintained with tofacitinib in the outpatient setting.Discussion and conclusionsOur patient is notable due to her young age at presentation, histopathologically confirmed liver injury, and response to treatment. The case adds to the growing body of literature supporting tofacitinib for anti-MDA5 JDM in the pediatric population. Future research can better standardize effective treatment protocols and define the mechanism of liver involvement. For patients with nonspecific liver injury, muscular, and cutaneous disease, anti-MDA5 JDM should be considered in the differential diagnosis with treatment options including tofacitinib for confirmed cases.

Að þjóna sömu herrum en keppa þó: Sameiginlegt eignarhald á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði

Tilgangur þessarar greinar er að fjalla um og varpa ljósi á sameiginlegt eignarhald fyrirtækja á skráðum hlutabréfamarkaði á Íslandi og er það borið saman við umfang slíks eignarhalds í Bandaríkjunum. Nokkur umræða hefur verið um hversu fáir aðilar eiga stóra hluti í íslenskum fyrirtækjum sem eru í samkeppni við hvert annað og því er umfang þessa og þróun á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði greind. Sjónum er beint að þremur mörkuðum hér á landi þar sem tveir eða þrír keppinautar eru skráðir í Kauphöll Íslands. Það eru trygginga-, fjarskipta, og fasteignamarkaðir. Þá er umfang fjárfestinga lífeyrissjóða á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði greint á fjórum mismunandi tímapunktum; árin 2003, 2007, 2014 og 2016. Þótt erfitt sé að bera saman hlutabréfaeign milli tímabila sést að sameiginlegt eignarhald var mun minna fyrir efnahagshrunið árið 2008 en á árunum eftir hrun, bæði hjá öllum stærstu hluthöfum skráðra fyrirtækja og þá einkum lífeyrissjóðum. Um mitt ár 2016 var eign lífeyrissjóða í skráðum hlutafélögum í Kauphöll Íslands orðin umtalsverð eða um 50% af markaðsvirði allra skráðra félaga. Stærstu lífeyrissjóðirnir áttu hlut í nánast öllum hlutafélögum í kauphöllinni. Á þeim mörkuðum sem hér er fjallað um fara lífeyrissjóðirnir með yfir 45% eign í öllum skráðum fasteignafélögum, yfir 35% í öllum skráðum tryggingafélögum og yfir 50% í fjarskiptafyrirtækjum á markaði. Ekki liggur fyrir hvaða afleiðingar þetta sameiginlega eignarhald á íslenskum fyrirtækjum hefur á samkeppni og verð. Engar rannsóknir hafa enn verið gerðar á því. Bandarískar rannsóknir benda þó til þess að slíkt eignarhald hafi skaðleg áhrif á samkeppni. Í ljósi umfangs þess á Íslandi er ástæða til þess að greina áhrif þess hér og mun greinin því varpa betra ljósi á hvernig þróunin hefur verið á Íslandi síðustu tæpu tvo áratugi.

Postoperative education and information-giving for the individual undergoing elective ostomy surgery.

Postoperative stoma education is an essential aspect of care for all types of stoma formation because having a stoma impacts on every aspect of a person's life. This critical review of the literature explores stoma patients' needs and wants; postoperative education care guidelines; the role of ward link nurses; and care pathways. The findings from this review demonstrate that there is no national standard postoperative stoma care pathway, yet such pathways are a cost-effective means to improve patient outcomes and care. The review also identified that structured care pathways are not a new concept, but there is a lack of formal research to determine best practice in postoperative stoma education. In the UK, there is wide variation in practice and outcomes, which means that effectiveness cannot be accurately measured. The author has developed and implemented a multidisciplinary postoperative education pathway in line with a national need to further refine postoperative stoma care services to meet stoma patients' needs.

How to Conduct Clinical Research in Cardiovascular Imaging: A Primer for Clinical Cardiologists and Researchers. A Statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the ESC.

This statement from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the ESC aims to address the fundamental principles that guide clinical research in the field of cardiovascular imaging. It provides clinical researchers, cardiology fellows, and Ph.D. students with a condensed, updated, and practical reference document to support them in designing, implementing, and conducting imaging protocols for clinical trials. Although the present article cannot replace formal research training and mentoring, it is recommended reading for any professional interested in becoming acquainted with or participating in clinical trials involving cardiovascular imaging.

Clinical research self-efficacy in academic veterinary clinicians in the United States.

Clinical research is a growing part of the academic clinician's job, and documenting areas of low self-efficacy can inform training initiatives. 182 US academic veterinary clinicians. A survey of academic veterinary clinicians was distributed to 31 US institutions. Self-efficacy was assessed with a modified Clinical Research Appraisal Instrument-12. The relationship between research self-efficacy and completion of formal research training and years of experience was evaluated. Respondents were predominantly junior to midcareer faculty. The lowest reported confidence was in performing advanced statistical analyses (3; 0 to 10). Other low-confidence tasks included designing a qualitative methods study (4; 0 to 10), terminating a collaboration that isn't working (5; 0 to 10), describing a funding agency's review/award process (5; 0 to 10), establishing a timeline for a grant application (5; 0 to 10), establishing collaborator and consultant agreements (5; 0 to 10), and asking staff to leave the project team (5; 0 to 10). Completion of a formal research training program was significantly associated with improved self-efficacy in many tasks. Years of experience was also associated, especially in project management and interpersonal interactions. These results highlight the need for targeted training opportunities for academic veterinary clinicians in biostatistical support, qualitative study design methods, and aspects of communication and interpersonal skills that are important for developing and leading effective research teams. Range of confidence suggests that development opportunities in all domains will improve self-efficacy for some clinicians. Future studies should focus on the impact of formal training sessions on various domains of self-efficacy and on targeted mentoring in supporting confidence in more experiential learning domains.

Entrepreneurial Soul in Primary School Students: Qualitative approach

Introducing an entrepreneurial spirit to elementary school students is an important role very important in increasing their independence and has many benefits very good and will have an impact on his future. How to what is the right way to build an entrepreneurial spirit for elementary school students and what method appropriately applied. Meanwhile introducing and cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit cannot be done instantly for elementary school students for that and the role This teacher really supports the formation of a person's character entrepreneurship in the future. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive explanatory analytical studies, this method describes the facts the importance of building an entrepreneurial spirit for elementary school students. The purpose of this research to examine the benefits of building an entrepreneurial spirit in elementary school students through the development of formal education and research this is only limited instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in the family and immediate environment. Through Entrepreneurship training for elementary school students is to foster a sense of be confident, independent and be a person who has high creativity so that they become more productive when they grow up.

The future of research dissemination: Innovation in publishing formats

Peer-reviewed scientific journals have been used in formal research communication for decades, but the quality, accessibility, timeliness, clarity, and fairness of articles resulting from the currently dominant publishing model have been questioned. Many novel online publishing strategies have emerged to address gaps in the traditional publishing model. Strategies that reduce or eliminate pre-publication peer review, such as preprints, reduce the cost and time required to publish, thus enhancing accessibility and accelerating science. Other modalities such as multimedia journals provide access to and credit for new types of academic contributions, as well as findings that never result in traditional publications. While scientific grant-funding agencies have begun to embrace preprints and data repositories, most of these organizations have not yet addressed other innovative publishing modalities. Funding for publishing infrastructure development, support for preprints, and changes to grant evaluation guidelines targeted towards rewarding nontraditional publishing could facilitate more widespread adoption of a variety of publishing strategies.

Cannabinoid Therapy in Athletics: A Review of Current Cannabis Research to Evaluate Potential Real-World Cannabinoid Applications in Sport.

The increasing legalization of Cannabis sativa plant products has sparked growing interest in their therapeutic applications. Prohibition laws established in 1937 hindered formal research on cannabis, a plant with cultural and medicinal roots dating back to 2700 BC in Chinese history. Despite regulatory hurdles, published research on cannabis has emerged; yet elite athletes remain an underrepresented population in these studies. Athletes, known for exploring diverse substances to optimize performance, are drawn to the potential benefits of cannabinoid therapy, with anecdotal reports suggesting positive effects on issues ranging from anxiety to brain injuries. This review aims to evaluate empirical published cannabis research with a specific focus on its potential applications in athletics. The changing legal landscape, especially the removal of cannabis from drug testing programs in leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), and endorsements by Major League Baseball (MLB) for cannabinoid products and the National Football League (NFL) for cannabis research, reflects a shift in the acceptability of such substances in sports. However, stigma, confusion, and a lack of education persist, hindering a cohesive understanding among sports organizations, including business professionals, policymakers, coaches, and medical/training staff, in addition to athletes themselves. Adding to the confusion is the lack of consistency with cannabinoid regulations from sport to sport, within or out of competition, and with cannabis bioactive compounds. The need for this review is underscored by the evolving attitudes toward cannabinoids in professional sports and the potential therapeutic benefits or harms they may offer. By synthesizing current cannabis research, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the applications and implications of cannabinoid use in the realm of athletics.