International Collaborative Project Research Articles

Translation of literary texts and online collaboration: Breaking barriers through virtual exchange

Literary translation usually brings linguistic, textual, cultural, and pragmatic problems into perspective. As a knowledge-transfer process, it also demands a set of skills as the translator intends to convey, to some extent, the literary subtleties of the original. Graduate students attending a MA seminar of Translation of Literary Texts are frequently asked to undertake the process of translating a selection of excerpts of a variety of literary texts, to acknowledge difficulties and set up strategies for achieving their work. One of the most rewarding tools available to literary translators is working with the author, which is not always feasible in real-life activity and even more unlikely in Literary Translation classes. This report presents the practice of virtual exchange by describing the experience of matching Creative Writing students with students attending a Translation of Literary Texts seminar. Online collaboration gave Literary Translation students a sense of real-life experience by having the opportunity to communicate and work with the author, translating unpublished and untranslated texts. It was not only an opportunity of participating in a collaborative international project by means of virtual exchange, but also an opportunity of translating with the author.

Listening to patients, for the patients: The COVAD Study-Vision, organizational structure, and challenges.

The pandemic presented unique challenges for individuals with autoimmune and rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) due to their underlying condition, the effects of immunosuppressive treatments, and increased vaccine hesitancy. The COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) study, a series of ongoing, patient self-reported surveys were conceived with the vision of being a unique tool to gather patient perspectives on AIRDs. It involved a multinational, multicenter collaborative effort amidst a global lockdown. Leveraging social media as a research tool, COVAD collected data using validated patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The study, comprising a core team, steering committee, and global collaborators, facilitated data collection and analysis. A pilot-tested, validated survey, featuring questions regarding COVID-19 infection, vaccination and outcomes, patient demographics, and PROs was circulated to patients with AIRDs and healthy controls (HCs). We present the challenges encountered during this international collaborative project, including coordination, data management, funding constraints, language barriers, and authorship concerns, while highlighting the measures taken to address them. Collaborative virtual models offer a dynamic new frontier in medical research and are vital to studying rare diseases. The COVAD study demonstrates the potential of online platforms for conducting large-scale, patient-focused research and underscores the importance of integrating patient perspective into clinical care. Care of patients is our central motivation, and it is essential to recognize their voices as equal stakeholders and valued partners in the study of the conditions that affect them.

A Bibliometric Analysis Study of Global Academic Articles on Malaria and Contribution of Türkiye

Objective: Malaria is a parasitic infection that has a significant negative influence on public health around the world, including Türkiye in recent years with the prevalence of imported cases. This study was conducted to provide a bibliometric analysis of publications on malaria in Türkiye and worldwide, and to determine Türkiye's current position in malaria research.
 Methods: This study was observational, descriptive, and retrospective designed study and utilized scientometric technique and scientific mapping. The research was conducted in the Web of Science online database. The MESH keywords (malaria OR plasmodium) were used. The title (TI) field and only Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) index was used for the search queries. The following inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied: The studies published after the end of 2022 were excluded and only the articles were chosen according to the document type.
 Results: On the basis of the defined search, 31376 articles were extracted from the WoS database indexed in the SCI-E category, for the period 1970-2022. The earliest article was published in 1970 and the most of the articles were published in 2021 (n=1274). There was a growth in publications number since end of the 1970s. A total 469 countries contributed the malaria literature. The United States of America (USA) (32.07%), England (18.56%) and France (9.90%) were the leading countries on the malaria literature according to the published article numbers. Türkiye ranked in 71st. A total of 80 articles were retrieved according to search criteria. The articles were cited 1347 times totally and 17.75 times per article. The mean of H index was 18. The earliest articles were published in 1987. The number of articles limited but since 2005 never dropped below two articles per year.
 Conclusion: Scientific production from Türkiye is low. This topic can be improved by increasing both the financial support for and the involvement of researchers in national and international collaborative research projects.

THEORETICAL INSIGHTS INTO SECURING REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEMS IN WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM AFRICA-US PROJECTS

This review paper delves into the critical realm of securing remote monitoring systems within water distribution networks, illuminating theoretical insights and practical lessons gleaned from collaborative projects between Africa and the United States. Given the pivotal role of water distribution networks in public health and safety, integrating remote monitoring systems offers substantial benefits in operational efficiency and resource management. However, this integration also introduces significant security vulnerabilities that pose risks to critical infrastructure data's integrity, availability, and confidentiality. Through a comprehensive analysis, this paper explores the multifaceted security challenges inherent in these systems, underscores the importance of robust theoretical frameworks for cybersecurity, and highlights effective security practices derived from international collaboration projects. It proposes principles for designing, implementing, and managing secure systems, emphasizing the necessity of defence-in-depth strategies, the principle of least privilege, and the critical role of continuous monitoring and adaptive response mechanisms. Furthermore, it identifies ongoing challenges and future directions for research, stressing the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and the potential of emerging technologies to fortify security measures. The paper advocates for sustained collaborative efforts and research to navigate the evolving landscape of security challenges in water distribution networks, ensuring their resilience against threats.
 Keywords: Remote Monitoring Systems, Water Distribution Security, Cybersecurity Frameworks.

Abstract 4239: Pancreatic cancer organoids from the Human Cancer Models Initiative biobank reflect disease genotypes, capture patient heterogeneity, and are amenable to therapeutic screening

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (~3% of all cancer cases) and has one of the lowest 5-year relative survival rates. There is a lack of clinically representative, easily available, validated, in vitro pancreatic cancer models that reflect the genomic and phenotypic diversity of the disease. The Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI) is an international collaborative project devoted to the development and distribution of approximately 1,000 novel human primary tissue-derived tumor models supported with clinical and molecular annotation. These models were manufactured, characterized, and validated at a not-for-profit biobank and made available for academic and commercial use in basic research, compound screening, and drug development. Available pancreatic cancer organoids (PCOs) from the HCMI biobank (n=46 unique models, n=41 unique donors) were acquired and subjected to a targeted next-generation sequencing hybridization capture, pan-cancer panel of 663 genes. Data were compared to publicly available clinical and genotyping results from the patient’s tumor (n=42) that the model was derived from as well as cancer datasets such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A subset of models was cultured following standard procedures and tested for response to chemotherapeutics (cisplatin, nab-paclitaxel), KRAS-targeting inhibitors (MRTX1133, KR-pep-2D), or PARP inhibitors (PJ34, olaparib) at three time points. A luminescent ATP viability assay was used to assess response. PCOs from the HCMI were predominantly derived from primary tumors (75%), had an adenocarcinoma ductal histological type, and were from female patients (56%) with an average age of 65 years at diagnosis. Models had mutations in key disease-relevant driver genes including KRAS, TP53, SMAD4, and/or CDKN2A at frequencies similar to the TGCA cohort. Sequencing revealed mutations in genes less commonly associated with pancreatic cancer, including BRCA, APC, BRAF, TGFBR2, and ARID1A, albeit at lower frequencies. Most models had mutations in KRAS including G12D, G12V, G12C, and G12R variants. Significant but not complete concordance was seen in comparison with the mutation status of the patient’s respective tumor, indicating potential genotypic drift had occurred. Response to acute treatment varied by model, genotype, timepoint, and drug. Chemotherapeutics like Cisplatin were broadly cytotoxic while MRTX1133 exhibited greater toxicity in models with KRAS G12D variants as compared with KRAS wild type. Patient-derived cancer organoids from the HCMI recapitulate genotypes seen in patient populations and respond to therapeutic treatment in vitro. Citation Format: Stephen Friend, Rachel Demerath, Matthew Graziano, James Clinton. Pancreatic cancer organoids from the Human Cancer Models Initiative biobank reflect disease genotypes, capture patient heterogeneity, and are amenable to therapeutic screening [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4239.

Research priorities and considerations for nutrition research: methods of sex and gender analysis for biomedical and nutrition research.

For some 20 years, science funding bodies have been asking for the integration of sex- and gender-related factors into the content of research and innovation. The rationale for those requirements has been the accumulated evidence that sex and gender are important determinants of health and disease. The European Commission (EC) has been the first, since 2002, to seriously ask for the integration of sex and gender into research and innovation in the context of their multi-annual framework programmes. When introduced, this condition was not immediately applauded by the research community, who perhaps lacked training in methods for the integration of sex- and gender-related factors. The EC Expert Group on Gendered Innovations sought to fill this gap. This review describes the work of this international collaborative project which has resulted in the development of general and field-specific methods for sex and gender analysis and 38 case studies for various research domains (science, health and medicine, environment, engineering) to illustrate how, by applying methods of sex and gender analysis, new knowledge could be created. Since 2010, science funding bodies in Canada, the USA and several EU member states have followed the example of the EC issuing similar conditions. Although the effects of nutritional patterns on a range of (physiological and health) outcomes may differ for men and women, sex and gender analyses are rarely conducted in nutrition research. In this review, we provide examples of how gender is connected to dietary intake, and how advancing gender analysis may inform gender-sensitive policies and dietary recommendations.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

INTRODUCTION. In the modern world, higher education plays a pivotal role in shaping social responsibility. In the context of the war that erupted in Ukraine in 2022, this issue becomes particularly pertinent, posing a unique challenge for higher education institutions to ensure sustainable development and address social tasks. The challenges arising during wartime demand new strategies and approaches to ensure the continuity of the educational process and support the student community.
 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS: The research hypothesis aims to identify effective higher education strategies in Ukraine in the context of armed conflict, focused on ensuring sustainable development and addressing social challenges.
 THE AIM of the research is to examine the impact of the armed conflict on higher education in Ukraine and develop strategies of social responsibility to address the challenges within this context.
 METHODS. The research will be conducted through the analysis of statistical data, studying cases of successful rehabilitation of Ukrainian universities during armed conflicts, and considering feedback from experts and involved stakeholders.
 FINDINGS. The research findings have identified key challenges faced by higher education in Ukraine during times of armed conflict, including restricted access to educational institutions, damage to infrastructure, and changes in learning conditions. A comprehensive set of measures has been proposed to address these challenges, encompassing the development of distance learning platforms, international expert support, and resource mobilization to restore the educational process and ensure the sustainability of higher education in crisis conditions.
 CONCLUSION. The research findings underscore the necessity and importance of addressing the challenges faced by higher education in the context of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine. The proposed strategies and recommendations delineate pathways for improvement and the implementation of socially responsible approaches. The research findings suggest that adhering to the principles of social responsibility in times of armed conflict can be achieved through active participation in international programs, humanitarian initiatives, and collaborative projects.
 KEYWORDS: social responsibility; higher education; challenges; armed conflict; international cooperation; resources.

Metamorphosis of human health risk assessment with artificial intelligence (AI) - a new paradigm in pharmaco-toxicological sciences

Toxicological Science, especially in the last five decades, has witnessed rapid evolution of different tools and techniques developed to address diverse issues related to studies dealing with adverse health effects of a variety of poisons, drugs, chemicals,ever-growing list of xenobiotics and human diseases. Traditionally these studies are performed using suitable animal (in vivo) models. There was a time when toxicologists/pharmacologists were searching models alternate to animal toxicity testing (Doke and Dhawale, 2015). Improved cell culture techniques, knowledge on stem cells and other microbiological systems led to the development of in vitro toxicology. It was soon followed by DNA chips, micro fluidics, in silico toxicology , toxicogenomics and computational toxicology. Several platforms are now discussing machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) together as future tools of computational toxicology. For decades, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) methods have been employed to study the effects of drugs/chemicals (Cai et al., 2022). However, AI methods for toxicity assessment ranging from ADMEtox to AI4TOX provide evidence to the immense potential of AI. Intriguingly, a few problems between theoretical developments and practice of AI by end users have been recognized. AI is now being employed in cancer care. According to WHO (2022), cancer is responsible for 9.3 million deaths per year. AI is being used for cancer grading, classification, follow up services and diagnostic accuracy. However, certain limitations viz. testing, validation, certification and auditing need to be addressed (Cabral et al., (2023). Potential of AI in diabetic care and management has recently been recognized. The huge burden of diabetic patients in India can be managed through AI tools. Diabetic risk can be predicted using genomic data, to diagnose diabetes using EHR data and to identify diabetes related complications i.e. retinopathy and nephropathy (Singhla et al., 2019). Application of AI in the management of cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction has been highlighted with special reference to Chinese medicine (Chen et al., 2022). There exists experimental evidence that AI tools can be used to assess, monitor and manage Parkinsons' disease (Bounsall et al., 2023). Perspectives of the application of AI in complimentary and alternative medicine were reviewed by Chu et al. (2022). Several regulatory agencies are now adopting the concept of 3R ie., replacement, reduction and refinement of animal testing (EU REACH/3R principles; Toxicology 21 of U.S. Government) ( Maestri, 2021).The application of AI in clinical toxicology through converging data resources, algorithms, real world information from sensors and health records has also been discussed (Sinha et al. 2021). Plausibility of toxicity prediction using AI tools was recently reviewed by Santin et al. (2021). Application of AI in recently emerged science of nanotoxicology is also being sought. The need for nanotoxicity databases, powerful nano descriptors, new modeling approaches, molecular mechanism analyses and designing of next generation nanomaterials are being debated ( Jha et al., 2014; Yan et al., 2023). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has recently initiated and AI program in Toxicology known as AI4TOX. This program mainly consists of four initiatives- AnimalGAN- to predict animal toxicology data for untested chemicals ( /about –fda/nctr-research-focus-areas/animalgan-initiative); SafetAI- to develop novel deep learning methods for toxicological endpoints (/about-fda/nctr-research-focus-areas/safetai-initiative); BERTox- to develop the most advanced AI powered Natural Language Processing (NPL) (/about-fda/nctr-research-focus-areas/bertox initiative) and PathologAI- to develop an effective and accurate framework for analysis of histopathological data from animal studies (/ about-fda/nctr-research-focus-areas/pathologai-initiative). Recently, Society of Toxicology (SOT) annual meeting held at Nashville from March 19-23, focused on a question-“How could AI be used for risk assessment?” There exists some skepticism weather AI may be used in human health risk assessment? How AI could be applied -to prioritize pharmaceutical/environmental chemicals, to identify potential off targets and decipher the mechanisms of toxicity and detect pathological effects? A Symposium session devoted to AI summarized international collaborative computational projects like CERaPP, COmPara and CATOMOS that have been designed to streamline the regulatory and safety assessments (Hartung, 2023). High throughput screening data (HTS) to predict drug induced liver injury (DILI) using AI is also being generated. AI can identify mechanisms for off target effects in drug development. AI can also be plausibly used to predict genotoxicity. Can AI tools automate the analysis of developmental or physiologically based assays? These discussions held during the symposium indicate exciting potential of AI in health risk assessment. It is speculated that, tools of nanotechnology hybridized with AI can metamorphose human health risk assessment to an extent that has never been achieved before.

(Invited) Correlation of Exciton and Charge Carrier Dynamics with the Performance of Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells have been recognized as a newly emerging solar cell with the potential of achieving high efficiency with a low cost fabrication process. In particular, facile solution processed cell fabrication facilitated rapid development of optimum cell structure and composition. Over the last few years, the cell efficiency has exceeded 25%.Highly efficient charge transfer reactions in addition to high charge separation efficiency and swift charge transport with minimum charge recombination are required to improve solar cell performance. Intensive studies have been focused on monitoring photo-induced exciton formation and charge dissociation, charge transport and interfacial charge transfer dynamics including interfacial charge recombination in perovskite solar cells.[1-5] Several parameters have been identified to influence these charge carrier dynamics, and therefore the solar cell performance.[1-5] Clarifying these parameters is extremely important to understand the charge transfer mechanisms to further improve solar cell performance.In this presentation, we will present parameters controlling charge dissociation in metal halide perovskites and their charge separation and recombination dynamics at the perovskite interfaces employing a series of transient absorption and emission spectroscopies. Correlation of the key parameters controlling the exciton and charge carrier dynamics with the solar cell performance will be discussed [1-5].This work was partly supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant (19H02813) and (22H02182), and the Collaborative Research Program of Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University (grant number 2023-45 and 2022-99), Japan. We would like to acknowledge supports from the Australia-Japan Foundation for the international collaborative project. We also acknowledge supports from ARC LIEF fund (LE200100051 and LE170100235), Australia and School of Engineering in RMIT University, and Forefront Research Center, Faculty of Science at Osaka University.

The Functional Grammar of Dance applied to ELAN annotation: meaning beyond the naked eye

AbstractThe main purpose of this article is to show how Functional Grammar of Dance (FGD) can be applied to dance discourse analysis to reveal the discursive strategies that underlie choreographies and support movement-based communication. In recent years, studies in Systemic Functional Multimodal Discourse Analysis (SF-MDA) have benefited from the development of several models of analysis, and from the emergence of a new focus on the materiality of semiotic modes. The Functional Grammar of Dance is a recently developed model of analysis that draws on Systemic Functional Linguistics theory and focuses on movement-based communication starting from dance (particularly ballet as a starting point). The Functional Grammar of Dance has been adopted as a central theory in an international collaborative project funded by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) in the UK and the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, ‘German Research Foundation’) in Germany, The Kinesemiotic Body, where it has been used with the ELAN annotation system. ELAN annotation based on the Functional Grammar of Dance was used for both live-collected data from dance rehearsals and for dance videos and revealed aspects of dance performances that are not necessarily captured by the naked eye. This paper proposes three case studies where we show that our ELAN annotation with the FGD provides an effective and very flexible interface for the grammaticalization of movement-based communication and the study of movement-based discursive strategies.

Overview of concept designs and results of the New Acoustic Insulation Meta-Material for Aerospace (NAIMMTA) project

Reducing aircraft cabin noise to improve the comfort of passengers is an important and challenging issue in aeronautics. Relatively uncomfortable high noise levels of around 80 to 90 dBA with strong low frequency range components (below 500 Hz) and a tonal character, predominantly related to the engine fan during take-off and approach, are deemed critical. The conventional acoustic materials seem to have reached their physical limits in terms of sound proofing, and therefore non-conventional solutions, such as metamaterials, are sought for their promising performance such as, a significant noise attenuation rate (dB/m), and the capability to be tuned at tonal or narrow band frequencies. An international collaborative project was created to develop novel technologies aiming at improving the existing noise control systems by obtaining an additional 5 dB noise reduction in the low frequency range (100 to 400 Hz) without deteriorating the thermal insulation. Moreover, the proposed solutions were expected to be tunable with respect to tonal noise (bandwidth of 5 Hz) or narrowband noise (bandwidth of 40 Hz). A major design and integration constraint imposed that the metamaterial had to be embedded in the current existing insulation blanket and add a maximum of 20% additional mass in comparison to the conventional insulation. This paper presents an overview of the various solutions developed from numerical simulations and novel manufacturing procedures development and optimization to performance characterization and validations.

Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Modeling of Brine Migration in a Heated Borehole Test in Bedded Salt

AbstractThis research paper focuses on the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) modeling of brine migration in a heated borehole test conducted as part of the ongoing Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. It is a component of the international collaboration project DECOVALEX-2023 (DEvelopment of COupled models and their VALidation against EXperiments), which aims to understand the THM processes governing brine flow in heated rock salt repositories through collaborative analysis by multiple research teams. Using the TOUGH–FLAC simulator, THM simulations were performed and compared with data from the BATS phase 1a. This experiment involved two identical horizontal-borehole arrays, one heated and one serving as a control, both equipped with sensor arrays. Analysis of measurements revealed water flow rate surges during heater power transitions, with the highest jump observed during cooling. Acoustic emission activity exhibited distinct patterns in response to heater power changes, suggesting that damage to rock salt is particularly pronounced during the cooling phase. The THM simulations successfully captured these phenomena, highlighting the significance of thermal effects, brine migration, and mechanical behavior in predicting brine availability in heated and damaged rock salt. Our modeling also revealed the critical interplay between heating and cooling-induced damage and its influence on flow properties, particularly affecting brine inflow estimation. Notably, we found that cooling-induced brine inflow spikes result from increased permeability due to tensile dilatancy. These findings have important implications for the development of robust containment strategies and enhance our understanding of the complex processes involved in repository performance.

SOFT SKILLS FOR THE SUCCESS OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Research collaboration is expected to offer many advantages, including the pooling of ideas, the creation of a shared identity and efficiency in the production of resources. This viewpoint has led to the development of a Europe-wide project involving several partner universities over 9 years. Many researchers are joining forces to work on collaborative projects, in the hope of benefitting science and the common good. However, these projects can be hampered by a number of difficulties, including too little recognition of the importance of cross-disciplinary skills in bringing a group project to a successful conclusion. Our presentation will review the specific features of the collaborative research context and focus on the specific cross-disciplinary skills required with the objective to successfully complete collaborative research projects. Our methodology based on qualitative research will show our experience of several international collaborative projects, which we will supplement with a corpus of exchanges and interviews. Our findings from this project show that among the causes of the difficulties encountered, those relating to cross-disciplinary skills are central and among the skills required for collaborative research projects to run smoothly, our results highlight some of them. Our research shows the importance of the social link and soft skills in collaborative research projects and could be useful in future to those who want to start a new project and who may have underestimated the central importance of these soft skills.

From Watching to Calling: Linking Variations in an Entertainment-Education Storyline with Calls to a Health Hotline

ABSTRACT Substantial gaps exist in the theoretical conceptualization and practical development of entertainment-education, as studies often fail to account for the ways in which intrinsic message characteristics influence subsequent behavior. These gaps served as the impetus for an international collaborative project that evaluated Vencer el Miedo (“Overcome the Fear”), a Spanish-language program that aired in Mexico from January to March 2020. The telenovela was produced with the aim of improving sexual and reproductive health knowledge and behaviors by modeling effective ways to discuss and negotiate safer sex practices. The show was accompanied by a telephone hotline called OrientaSEX operated by professional counselors from MEXFAM, Planned Parenthood’s Mexican affiliate. Utilizing an interrupted time series analysis of calls made to OrientaSEX (N = 11,878) and focusing on changes in the volume of calls and the identity of callers following key moments in the storyline, the findings support the central role played by transitional characters and their similarity to audience members. Implications of these results for the theory and practice of entertainment-education are discussed.

The Impact of Experiential Learning and the Use of Digital Platforms on Global Virtual Teams’ Motivation

ABSTRACT This paper sheds light on the impact of the digital platforms’ enhancement and usage of latest synchronous and asynchronous teaching-learning platforms through a global virtual project involving business schools across five countries. The study focuses on how technology involved in the learning-teaching process at different business schools has affected the commitment of undergraduates and graduates in the post-COVID era. Furthermore, the paper discusses how the global virtual teams of students has increased their motivation in their studies. The paper is based on a blended learning international collaboration (BLIC) project involving 150 students participating in global virtual collaboration via different digital platforms in classes on International Management and International Business. The study results show, that with computer-supported collaborative learning, students across all involved business schools have been highly committed and motivated in conducting their assignments. The paper shows that the enhancement and utilization of digital platforms in face-to-face and online classes in International Business and International Management, within this virtual collaboration, has provided the students with new knowledge and has held motivation high throughout the project.

THE TASK OF CHOOSING PARTNERS FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS

The primary objective of this article is to establish a set of fundamental criteria for the selection of scientific partners for collaborative research efforts. Achieving this objective entails addressing the challenge of identifying criteria that are both objective and universally applicable, capable of encompassing various fields of scientific research, such as natural sciences, technical sciences, and economic sciences, among others. One such criterion, applicable to scientists, may involve assessing their publication activity within specific research areas that align with the objectives of the relevant scientific research or international projects. In the contemporary landscape of scientific research, there is a growing urgency to enhance the effectiveness of research endeavors and to foster efficient collaboration within scientific communities. This is particularly vital for organizations oriented towards project-based research. In the formation of research project teams, a conventional approach is to select partners from the pool of scientists possessing the requisite qualifications and experience in the execution of such projects. A widely accepted yardstick for evaluating the outcomes of scientists' research endeavors is the citation metrics associated with their publications. Typically, these metrics take the form of scalar values. While this approach offers several advantages, it is not without its limitations. One notable drawback is the potential loss of information when converting raw data into scalar metrics, and the existence of certain edge cases where the parameter remains unchanged despite variations in the number of citations and publications. Hence, it is pertinent to explore the development of new methodologies or modifications to existing ones that can effectively evaluate the results of scientists' research activities while mitigating these limitations.Начало формы The article describes the criteria for the search and selection of partners for joint scientific research. This will make it possible to effectively form teams for narrowly focused scientific research or international collaboration projects in interdisciplinary scientific projects such as the European Horizon Program or educational projects such as the Erasmus plus program. Also, the proposed solution will allow the formation of small teams for joint scientific publications. It is imperative to acknowledge that the process of partner selection is predominantly driven by a consideration of the knowledge, whether it be novel or foundational, possessed by prospective partners who are entrusted with the execution of a project. It becomes crucial to delineate the specific criteria governing partner selection which can vary contingent upon factors such as the typology of partners, the nature of project tasks, the depth of knowledge possessed, and related contextual variables. A vital underpinning for the formation of project consortia is the mathematical conundrum of choice which furnishes a formal rationale for the judicious selection of a particular partner.

Higher education students’ attitudes towards English as a lingua franca in virtual exchange settings

Abstract Mentored online intercultural and international collaboration projects using English as a lingua franca (ELF) in tertiary curricula are a valuable pedagogical approach to develop intercultural communicative competence. However, students’ perceptions of ELF in virtual exchange (VE) projects remain largely unexplored. This mixed-methods study investigates students’ attitudes towards ELF interactions in the context of online collaborations involving four countries in the Global North and South. The students participated in a six-week VE and collaboratively completed tasks set by their teachers. Results of the qualitative and quantitative data show that the students’ attitudes towards ELF interactions varied in different contexts and that the experience encouraged reflections, for instance, on students’ linguistic effectiveness in intercultural situations. The findings show a (re)evaluation of native and non-native English and attitudinal shift for some students. The results indicate that online intercultural exchanges can be a catalyst for students to reflect on international English usage and global ownership. The article provides implications for setting up ELF-VE projects regarding its potential to (trans)form ELF identities and gives advice for ELF practitioners.

Developing professional capacity for Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) teaching in Vietnam: tensions and responses

In this paper, we report on an international collaborative project designed to address the professional development needs of Vietnamese teachers for the implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). We collected data on a group of CLIL Vietnamese teachers and leaders through online interviews. Drawing on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the paper illuminates how CLIL teachers, as the subject of the professional learning (PL) system, utilized tools to develop their capacity for CLIL teaching against the backdrop of various sociocultural factors that regulate this learning process. The analysis helped us to identify various challenges facing CLIL teachers’ PL. These challenges arose from an absence of an effective learning system mostly related to contextual obstacles and widespread misconceptions, even among the leaders and CLIL trainers, about the nature of CLIL. This study contributes suggestions to enhance the quality of PL for CLIL teachers, which is a pressing issue for the successful implementation of CLIL in the context of Vietnam and beyond.

Internationalization of research in Georgia: why to engage and with whom to engage?

Purpose This study aims to explore the research internationalization process in Georgia, one of the post-Soviet countries. Specifically, it examines the individual-level reasons that motivate faculty at Georgian universities to engage in the process of research internationalization. It also unpacks scholars’ perspectives on the driving factors for selecting the key partners in international research. Design/methodology/approach Sixteen faculty members for this exploratory qualitative study were selected through stratified purposeful sampling from five higher educational institutions in Georgia. Participants were asked to discuss their participation in international research projects and underline the activities and events that motivated them to participate in international collaborative projects. The critical incident method was used to analyze our qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings The research revealed that faculty at Georgian universities are more oriented toward collaboration with their peers from European countries and the USA. This preference is influenced by such factors as higher quality of science, higher level of freedom and autonomy, personal contacts and networks, as well as language competencies. The data also helped to unpack Georgian scholars’ individual-level rationales that were conceptualized into three domains: human capital, financial capital and physical capital. Originality/value This study is an original work conducted in Georgia. It contributes to the development of the field of internationalization of research. The three-domain conceptual framework on the individual-level rationale for internationalization can be used in future research on post-Soviet countries and beyond.

Trends in major non-communicable diseases and related risk factors in China 2002–2019: an analysis of nationally representative survey data

Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are prioritized in both the Sustainable Development Goal and the Healthy China 2030 Initiatives. Efforts have been devoted to combating NCDs in China. This study examined changes in NCD trajectory. We described and analyzed the trends in prevalence and control of major NCDs including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia and examined selected main behavioral risk factors in China by sex, age group, and residence using nationally representative CDC survey data. Data included were from the China Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance (CCDRFS, 2013 and 2018) and China National Nutrition Survey (CNNS, 2002, 2010-2013, 2015, and 2020). Annual and relative changes in rates were used. Rural-urban ratio of related indicators was assessed. NCD-attributed deaths increased from 80.0% in 2002 to 86.6% in 2012, and 88.5% in 2019, with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes accounted for 47.1%, 24.1%, 8.8%, and 2.5% of deaths in 2019, respectively. Prevalence of obesity (7.1%-16.4%), overweight/obesity (29.9%-50.7%), hypertension (18.8%-27.5%), diabetes (2.6%-11.9%), and dyslipidemia (18.6%-35.6%) all increased from 2002 to 2018. These rates increased faster in rural areas than in urban areas. Rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension and diabetes increased very slowly from 2012 to 2018. Most rates were between 30 and 40% with the lowest rate of 11% for hypertension control even in 2018. The rates were worse for rural residents compared to urban residents. Furthermore, many modifiable behavioral risk factors showed little improvement and some became worse over time, including smoking, excessive alcohol use, inadequate vegetable/fruit intake, excessive red meat intake, and physical inactivity. NCD burden in China increased during 2002-2019 despite of the intervention efforts. To reach the global and national targets, China must strengthen its actions, especially in rural areas, including improvement of NCD screening and management and reduction of behavioral risk factors. The study was supported in part by research grants of National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFC0907200, 2017YFC0907201), International Collaboration Project from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology-Prevention and control of chronic diseases and health promotion (G2021170007L), Natural Scientific Foundation of China (82103846), Key R&D and Transformation Program of Qinghai (2023-QY-204).