Knowledge Hub Research Articles

Developing a consensus to support health and social care professionals and patients manage nutrition in the context of COVID-19 recovery.

The long-term effects on people who have had COVID-19 affect nutrition and can be influenced by diet conversely. Specific nutritional guidelines, however, were scarce at the beginning of 2020, and empirical literature was also lacking. Conventional research methodologies needed to be adapted to review the available literature that could be relevant to the United Kingdom and policy documents as well as collect the views of health and care staff. The aim of this paper is to describe the method to develop consensus statements from experts to address the necessary nutritional support and what emerged from this. A nominal group technique (NGT) was adapted to the virtual world; we purposefully selected a range of professionals (dietitians, nurses, occupational therapists, etc.) and patients with long-term effects of COVID to present them with the most updated evidence and aim to reach key guidelines to address COVID-19 recovery. We were able to reach consensus statements that were developed and reviewed by relevant healthcare staff at the front line to address the nutritional needs of patients recovering from COVID-19 and those suffering from its long-term effects. This adapted NGT process led us to understand that a virtual repository of concise guidelines and recommendations was needed. This was developed to be freely accessed by both patients recovering from COVID-19 and health professionals who manage them. We successfully obtained key consensus statements from the adapted NGT, which showed the need for the nutrition and COVID-19 knowledge hub. This hub has been developed, updated, reviewed, endorsed and improved across the subsequent 2 years.

Updating And Measuring The Impact Of An Online Knowledge Hub Designed For Use By Patients With Long Covid & Healthcare Professionals

Updating And Measuring The Impact Of An Online Knowledge Hub Designed For Use By Patients With Long Covid & Healthcare Professionals

Biomedical discovery through the integrative biomedical knowledge hub (iBKH)

The abundance of biomedical knowledge gained from biological experiments and clinical practices is an invaluable resource for biomedicine. The emerging biomedical knowledge graphs (BKGs) provide an efficient and effective way to manage the abundant knowledge in biomedical and life science. In this study, we created a comprehensive BKG called the integrative Biomedical Knowledge Hub (iBKH) by harmonizing and integrating information from diverse biomedical resources. To make iBKH easily accessible for biomedical research, we developed a web-based, user-friendly graphical portal that allows fast and interactive knowledge retrieval. Additionally, we also implemented an efficient and scalable graph learning pipeline for discovering novel biomedical knowledge in iBKH. As a proof of concept, we performed our iBKH-based method for computational in-silico drug repurposing for Alzheimer's disease. The iBKH is publicly available.

Taxation formula for tobacco in Sri Lanka

Article 06 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control emphasizes the importance of implementing effective tax and price policies for Tobacco products. To fight against the Tobacco epidemic WHO has introduced the MPOWER package which R stands for raising taxes on Tobacco. According to WHO standards, 70% of the excise tax from the retail price will contribute to an effective Tobacco tax indexation policy. National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol organized Tobacco Taxation and Illicit Trade virtual workshop with the collaboration of WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub on Tobacco Taxation, Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products, University of Cape Town. The developed Tobacco tax indexation formula of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol was modified by including exogenous factor with the guidance of experts of WHO FCTC Secretariat Knowledge Hub on tobacco taxation. Tobacco tax simulation modeling can be used to predict how much tobacco consumption will decrease, and government revenue will increase if there is a change in the tobacco excise tax structure and an increase in the level of taxation. Preliminary evidence from the TETSiM model predicts that a 91.6 to 124.6 billion increase in tobacco excise taxation from the current 2022 to 2026 would lead to a 1.1 % drop in consumption and approximately 101.8 to 136.9 billion increases in government revenue. The finding of the modeling of Tobacco taxes with the TETSiM model will lead to an increase in Tobacco tax revenue and decrease Tobacco consumption in Sri Lanka.

University libraries innovation capability: A framework from Indonesia

Highlights • Innovation capability (IC) research by university libraries is lacking but provides a clear view of the current body of knowledge. • The themes underpinning innovation capability were explored while a novel framework was developed. • The IC could be established when libraries reflect organisational relevancy (OR) and librarians’ confidence (LC) moderated by relationship-based leadership (RL). • The IC potentially facilitates innovation performance (IP). • The RL is a unique variable that must be examined in the wider context. Given the current dynamism of university libraries as knowledge hubs through innovations and adaptations, this qualitative study incorporated the practices of developing innovation capabilities (IC) in libraries, particularly for Indonesian state-owned higher education institutions using grounded theory. In expanding the current body of literature on IC, this research highlighted non-profit stances and proposed a framework for the present context. As the first empirical work to map IC processes from university libraries, this study presented an in-depth view of their progress and a novel variable, relationship-based leadership (RL), for further examination. Notably, potential research topics were formulated for future works.

Key aspects of establishing research, knowledge, and innovation‐based hubs as part of the local innovation ecosystem

The purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of the principles of forming different types of hubs as spaces for collaborative R&D and innovation. This article offers valuable new knowledge regarding the establishment of hubs as part of the local innovation ecosystem. The paper will, through a qualitative multiple case study, shed light on the research issue of the establishment of hubs through an analysis of empirical data collected from three different types of hubs: a research hub, knowledge hub, and innovation hub. As a result, we introduce new building blocks of hubs to support managers and practitioners in forming collaborative hub structures.

‘Getting into the Nucleus of the School’: Experiences of Collaboration between Special Educational Needs Coordinators, Senior Leadership Teams and Educational Psychologists in Irish Post-Primary Schools

This research study explored barriers and facilitators to collaboration between National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs), and Senior Leadership Teams (SLT) in Irish post-primary schools (students aged between 12 and 18 years). NEPS’ role in facilitating collaboration is uncertain, exacerbated by the absence of policy outlining the SENCO role and tensions between special and inclusive education. It is unclear what the experiences of collaboration between NEPS psychologists and post-primary schools might be within this nebulous policy context. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used, framed by Dynamic Systems Theory. Participants were NEPS psychologists, SENCOs, and SLT. Phase 1 involved an online survey (n = 278), which identified barriers and facilitators to collaboration and informed Phase 2. This paper presents Phase 2, comprising semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Interviews were analysed using multi-perspectival interpretative phenomenological analysis, facilitating experiential exploration of collaboration between NEPS, SLT, and SENCOs. Participants described the experience of transitioning from working in silos to collaborative hubs. Systemic and interpersonal factors facilitated deliberate construction of evolving, dynamic, collaborative spaces between post-primary schools and NEPS. Policy gaps arise regarding consultation, collaboration, special education, and inclusion. This research begins to clarify the varied ways in which practice occurs in these gaps and indicates ways in which NEPS psychologists can collaborate with SENCOs and SLT to create active, effective hubs of knowledge to support students.

Knowledge transfer from and within digital incubators: does the context of entrepreneurship matter? The case of women entrepreneurs in France

PurposeThis paper aims to refer to the knowledge transfer of entrepreneurial skills between digital incubators and nascent entrepreneurs. It questions the role of the context and of the richness of the ecosystems in which these women evolve, as defined by Welter and Baker (2021) on such an attempt.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on a qualitative study that refers to case studies of women nascent entrepreneurs who evolve into two different contexts – one rich zone and one deprived economic one of the French Parisian Region – and who integrated the same digital incubator.FindingsContext does partly matter: besides the “Where”, the “Who” and, moreover, the level of education and previous entrepreneurial experience really matters, and only educated women, whatever the other components of context, seem to be capable to receive the “best” knowledge transfer from incubators. Second, incubators can be considered as to be a knowledge hub that allow knowledge transfer not only from trainers and coaches to women nascent entrepreneurs but also among women entrepreneurs. This paper concludes with a discussion on the role of digital training and coaching in such knowledge transfers.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are limited to a specific place (the region of Paris). Therefore, women entrepreneurs evolve in more different contexts but the national entrepreneurial and institutional context remains the same. There should be need to explore the role of an incubator that evolves into more contrasted contexts.Practical implicationsIf results can be generalized, this means incubators should differentiate their services, teaching and coaching expertize according to the education level of nascent entrepreneurs: This is a plaidoyer against institutionalized incubators that claim to be capable of targeting any nascent (women) entrepreneurs.Social implicationsThis study is also a plaidoyer for more digital incubator to mix persons from different contexts, especially to welcome persons from more deprived economic zones.Originality/valueThe research reveals the role of context – and, some components of the context – intro coaching and training that are provided by online incubators. It contributes to the literature on knowledge transfer that is brought about by incubators. It also contributes to the literature in entrepreneurship by showing that some components among the others that define what we call “the context” matter more than others.

Enabling urban systems transformations: co-developing national and local strategies

Transformative urban development is urgent to achieve future sustainable development and wellbeing. Transformation can benefit from shared and cumulative learning on strategies to guide urban development across local to national scales, while also reflecting the complex emergent nature of urban systems, and the need for context-specific and place-based solutions. The article addresses this challenge, drawing on extensive transdisciplinary engagement and National Strategy co-development processes for Australia. This includes generation of two frameworks as boundary objects to assist such transdisciplinary strategy development. An ‘enabling urban systems transformation’ framework comprises four generic overarching transformation enablers and a set of necessary underpinning urban capacities. This also built cumulatively on other sustainability and urban transformation studies. A complementary ‘knowledge for urban systems transformation’ framework comprises key knowledge themes that can support an integrated systems approach to mission-focused urban transformations, such as decarbonising cities. The article provides insights on the transdisciplinary processes, urban systems frameworks, and scoping of key strategies that may help those developing transformation strategies from local to national scales.Science highlights• Transdisciplinary national urban strategy development is used to distil generic frameworks and strategy scopes with potential international application.• The frameworks also build on other published framings to support convergent, cumulative and transdisciplinary urban science.• The ‘enabling transformations’ and ‘urban knowledge’ frameworks include the perspective of those developing sustainable urban systems strategies.• The enabling framework also informs ‘National Urban Policy’ and ‘Knowledge and Innovation Hub’ strategies, and prevailing power imbalances.• The knowledge framework can help frame urban challenges, missions and knowledge programs.Policy and practice recommendations• An urban ‘transformation imperative’ and ‘strategic response’ can be co-developed from local to national scales.• Local initiative is crucial to drive urban strategies, but sustained national leadership with coherent policy across sectors and scales is also key.• Diversity in engagement participation and processes generates whole-of-urban-systems and local-to-national perspectives.• Urban solutions are context-specific but generic frameworks can help collaborative issue framing and responses.• Collaborative issue framing informed by generic frameworks can bring broader perspectives to context-specific and contested policy and practice issues.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Aspirational or obtainable?

The <scp>United Nations</scp> Sustainable Development Goals: Aspirational or obtainable?

Sustainable Status Assessment of the Transit-Oriented Development in Doha’s Education City

Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar, has seen rapid growth in recent years, resulting in challenges that can be addressed through sustainable urban design strategies. Such approaches, including Transit-Oriented Development, aim to provide compact urban forms with mixed-use development enabling easy access to the city’s transit services. In light of such objectives, and with the 2022 World Cup being hosted in Qatar, the government has invested heavily in its public transportation system and in implementing Transit-Oriented Development. This work presents an analysis of the current status of Transit-Oriented Development in the knowledge hub in Doha known as Education City. A case study methodology was used, which included site observation, photographic documentation, mapping, and statistical analysis based on recent census data. The analysis shows that the use of public transportation throughout the site is relatively low, largely due to the region’s hot climate and the local mobility culture, in which there is a general preference for private vehicle use. The culmination of this investigation is a master plan for the study area, which foresees further enhancement of the area while still holding to the aims of Transit-Oriented Development. To this end, key recommendations for modifying the prevailing mobility culture are suggested, such as increasing the availability of multimodal transportation in order to improve public transportation functionality and modifying certain aspects of the public transportation system so that it is convenient and comfortable, even during periods of very hot weather. The findings of this study highlight the potential of urban design to change people’s behavior and increase awareness of multimodal transport options.

The Acinetobacter baumannii website (Ab-web): a multidisciplinary knowledge hub, communication platform, and workspace.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium increasingly implicated in hospital-acquired infections and outbreaks. Effective prevention and control of such infections are commonly challenged by the frequent emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Here we introduce Ab-web (https://www.acinetobacterbaumannii.no), the first online platform for sharing expertise on A. baumannii. Ab-web is a species-centric knowledge hub, initially with 10 articles organized into two main sections, 'Overview' and 'Topics', and three themes, 'epidemiology', 'antibiotic resistance', and 'virulence'. The 'workspace' section provides a spot for colleagues to collaborate, build, and manage joint projects. Ab-web is a community-driven initiative amenable to constructive feedback and new ideas.

Pursuing doctoral research in an emerging knowledge hub: an exploration of international students’ experiences in China

ABSTRACT International doctoral students are an influential group in knowledge creation and cross-national engagement. Existing studies have mainly focused on this cohort’s learning and research experiences in developed countries. However, relatively few studies have explored these students’ experiences in non-traditional learning destinations. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital and habitus, and the notion of global-national-local imbrications, this study explores international doctoral students’ academic learning experiences in what can be understood as the Chinese academic sub-field. By interviewing 35 international doctoral students in a Chinese university, findings suggest that these students encountered certainty and uncertainty initially before some were able to navigate the Chinese academic sub-field more strategically. As a result, students progressively developed an in-between cosmopolitan habitus; this included as a result of exposure to both Chinese and international academic logics through learning with Chinese academic returnees. Students’ experiences suggest that the Chinese academic sub-field can be understood as something of an in-between field that imbricates the global, national, and local within higher education contexts.

The Benefits, Challenges, and Strategies toward Establishing a Community-Engaged Knowledge Hub: An Integrative Review.

Current knowledge creation and mobilization efforts are concentrated in academic institutions. A community-engaged knowledge hub (CEKH) has the potential for transdisciplinary and cross-sectorial collaboration between knowledge producers, mobilizers, and users to develop more relevant and effective research practices as well as to increase community capacity in terms of knowledge production. Objective: To summarize existing original research articles on knowledge hubs or platforms and to identify the benefits, challenges, and ways to address challenges when developing a CEKH. Methods: This study followed a systematic integrative review design. Following a comprehensive search of academic and grey literature databases, we screened 9030 unique articles using predetermined inclusion criteria and identified 20 studies for the final synthesis. We employed thematic analysis to summarize the results. Results: The focus of the majority of these knowledge mobilization hubs was related to health and wellness. Knowledge hubs have a multitude of benefits for the key stakeholders including academics, communities, service providers, and policymakers, including improving dissemination processes, providing more effective community interventions, ensuring informed care, and creating policy assessment tools. Challenges in creating knowledge hubs are generally consistent for all stakeholders, rather than for individual stakeholders, and typically pertain to funding, resources, and conflicting perspectives. As such, strategies to address challenges are also emphasized and should be executed in unison. Conclusions: This study informs the development of a future CEKH through the identification of the benefits, challenges, and strategies to mitigate challenges when developing knowledge hubs. This study addresses a literature gap regarding the comparisons of knowledge hubs and stakeholder experiences.

ДОСВІД АВСТРАЛІЇ З ПІДГОТОВКИ, ОСВІТИ І ПРОФЕСІЙНОГО РОЗВИТКУ ПРАЦІВНИКІВ ОПЕРАТИВНО-РЯТУВАЛЬНИХ СЛУЖБ

The article describes the experience of professional training and development of workers of operational and rescue services of Australia. The experience accumulated by specialists of operational and rescue services of Australia in the fight against the elements, disasters, liquidation of the consequences of various emergencies, which quite often occur on its territory, is invaluable and deserves study. Each state and territory has its own services that ensure the civil safety of the population and their property: police, fire service, emergency service, emergency agencies. Australia builds its emergency management policy on four main principles: preparedness, prevention, response and recovery. The assignment of responsibility for emergency response to schools is due to the fact that in Australia the school itself is considered a key center for the community. Teachers are perceived as potential leaders in emergency situations, whose task is to perform any action before, during or after an emergency. As part of the reorganization of the operational rescue service system, its training programs were formalized and professionalized. In most institutions of higher education, there is a policy of re-enrollment of credits and recognition of the results of previous informal education. The professionalization of specialist training is achieved through targeted programs from higher education institutions, which are designed specifically to order from the national government, state and territory governments or an employer. The aforementioned training programs are a valuable addition to on-the-job training. Some universities have opened emergency research centers that carry out scientific research in the field of civil security and emergency management, which contributes to obtaining reliable scientific results, a closer connection between theory and practice, the highest level of practices in the area of emergency management, indicates ways of its optimization, determines the content of training courses. In order to focus on one platform the maximum number of areas of educational activity on emergency situations, the Australian Knowledge Center the so-called "Knowledge Hub" was created. It is a national open platform that provides an opportunity for everyone to find everything they need for familiarization, training, self-education, professional development in the field of emergencies. Keywords: operational rescue service, emergency situation, civil safety, higher education institution, management in emergency situations, professional development, training of specialists.

Development of a GIS-based knowledge hub for contaminants of emerging concern in South African water resources using open-source software: Lessons learnt

With population growth and dwindling freshwater sources, protecting such sources has come to the forefront of water resource management. Historically, society’s response to a problem is based on funding availability, current threat, and public outcry. Achieving this is largely dependent on the knowledge of the factors that are resulting in compromised water sources. These factors are constantly changing as novel contaminants are introduced into surface water sources. As we are in the information age, the interest in contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) is gaining ground. Whilst research is being conducted to identify contaminants in South African water sources, the research outputs and available information is not collated and presented to the science community and stakeholders in readily available formats and platforms. Current research outcomes need to be made known to regulators in order to develop environmental laws. By using fourth industrial revolution technology, we were able to collate available data in literature and display these in a user-friendly online format to regulatory bodies as well as researchers. A standardized excel spreadsheet was developed and uploaded to a PostgreSQL, running a PostGIS extension and was then processed in the GeoServer to allow for visualization on an interactive map which can be continuously updated. The near real-time access to information will reduce the possibility of duplication of research efforts, enhance collaboration in the discipline, and act as a CEC early warning system.

RESEARCHER ECONOMY

The Alpha male in "Animal Movie," who hunts wild creatures and creates new chances for civilization, resembles researchers today. Researchers like Alpha males, pioneer new possibilities and inventions, enhancing knowledge and comprehension. The Researchers Economy's slogan emphasizes honoring these pioneers of research and advancement. 9NFTMANIA, a pioneering entity within the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, has introduced a groundbreaking initiative called the Researcher Economy. Recognizing the vital role that researchers play in shaping the understanding and development of specific tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and crypto currencies, 9NFTMANIA aims to fortify the ecosystem by providing robust support to research scholars. At the core of this mission is the belief that fostering a thriving research community enhances the overall value of digital assets. 9NFTMANIA is actively championing this cause by encouraging and incentivizing research excellence through its Researcher Economy initiative. Through this program, 9NFTMANIA is facilitating research paper publications, creating a knowledge hub, and establishing reward mechanisms to acknowledge and amplify the contributions of researchers who delve into the complexities and innovations within the realm of digital assets. By leading the charge in supporting and empowering research scholars, 9NFTMANIA envisions a future where the understanding and value of tokens, NFTs, and crypto currencies are continually advanced through rigorous academic exploration and collaboration. Moreover this initiative would assist researchers in exploring Metaverse.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПІДГОТОВКИ ТА ВЕДЕННЯ СТАБІЛІЗАЦІЙНИХ ДІЙ ВІЙСЬКОВИМИ ФОРМУВАННЯМИ З ПРАВООХОРОННИМИ ФУНКЦІЯМИ КРАЇН ПІВНІЧНОАТЛАНТИЧНОГО АЛЬЯНСУ

The article explores the essence and content of the preparation and conduct of stabilization actions by military formations with law enforcement functions according to NATO standards. It discusses the activities of the NATO Centres of Excellence, substantiates the concepts, essence, and content of stabilization actions by the security forces of Ukraine. The NATO Advanced Civil-Military Interaction Training Center for Enhancing Qualifications in Law Enforcement Stabilization Actions serves as an international coordination and knowledge hub for the community of interests in the field of stabilization actions with law enforcement characteristics. Currently, the organization consists of the following structures specialized in the described activities: Carabinieri Corps of Italy, Czech Military Police, French Gendarmerie, Greek Army, Polish Military Gendarmerie, Romanian Gendarmerie, Spanish Civil Guard, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, and Turkish Gendarmerie. The center examines the concept of stabilization actions with law enforcement characteristics applied by NATO member countries in unstable regions (states) in all types of conflicts, ranging from peacetime to high-intensity conflicts. The spectrum of conflicts encompasses four main types of campaigns in which stabilization actions are conducted. Typically, these actions occur both during the initial stages and throughout armed conflicts (combat operations), as well as after their conclusion. The article introduces the definition of law enforcement stabilization actions, which has not been previously reflected in the normative-legal framework of the security sector components of Ukraine. The implementation of a comprehensive set of law enforcement stabilization actions will play a crucial role in the post-war period during the restoration of constitutional order and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which have been affected by Russian occupation.

Citizen Science in Europe—Challenges in Conducting Citizen Science Activities in Cooperation of University and Public Libraries

Citizen science has many definitions but it is commonly known as collaboration between professional scientists and the rest of society. Although there have been cases of its implementation in the past, the term became globally known in 2012. Citizen science activities cover a wide range of academic disciplines and vary widely in what is required of the activity participants in terms of knowledge, time commitment, travel, and the use of technology). For the past ten years, libraries have often introduced citizen science in order to encourage greater interaction between science and society as a form of their services or specially organized activities. The types of libraries that often conduct citizen science are academic, public, and research libraries. Each of these library types has a specific user population; academic libraries have students and scientific and teaching staff; public libraries have the local community; and research libraries have researchers. However, libraries usually carry out CS activities separately, and very rarely in cooperation with other types of libraries. Some collaboration challenges are related to its complexity, the uncertainty regarding research cocreation, and participant retention strategies. Such cooperation is one of the aspects explored by the LIBER project CeOS_SE Project—Citizen-Enhanced Open Science in Southeastern Europe Higher Education Knowledge Hubs. The main goal of the project is to raise awareness of mainstream Open Science and CS practices in Southeastern (SE) Europe. As a project partner, the National and University Library in Zagreb, in cooperation with the University Library of Southern Denmark, conducted a survey that included other European countries in addition to SE Europe to examine and collect good practices of civil engagement in university libraries.

Constructing an Edu-Metaverse Ecosystem: A New and Innovative Framework

The Metaverse is a network of 3-D virtual worlds supporting social connections among its users and enabling them to participate in activities mimicking real life. It merges physical and virtual reality and provides channels for multisensory interactions and immersions in a variety of environments (Mystakidis, 2022). The Metaverse is considered the third wave of the Internet revolution, and it is built on new and emerging technologies such as extended reality and artificial intelligence. Research on the impact of the Metaverse on education exploded in 2022. Here, we explore learning across the Metaverse and propose a new and innovative theoretical framework by reviewing literature and synthesizing best practices in designing metaverse learning environments. This ecosystem consists of four major hubs: 1) instructional design and performance technology hub; 2) knowledge hub; 3) research and technology hub; and 4) talent and training hub. Common to all four hubs are the factors in the three wheels: 1) infrastructure, business industry, and communication; 2) technology access and equity; and 3) user rights, data security, and privacy policy. We believe that this framework can help guide emerging research and development on the applications of the Metaverse in education. We also hope this article can serve as a launch pad for the special issue on the Metaverse and the Future of Education supported by the IEEE Education Society.