Large-scale Research Project Research Articles

Transarterial embolization of renal cell carcinoma (modern review)

Currently, renal cell carcinoma is one of the most common malignant neoplasms, the main treatment method of which is surgery. However, surgical treatment in some cases may be accompanied by deterioration of renal function, which dictates the need to search for alternative treatment methods. This review examines the possibilities of a minimally invasive, radiosurgical procedure – transarterial embolization of the renal arteries in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Options for performing this procedure and indications for them are given, the results of using transarterial embolization of the renal arteries for renal cell carcinoma are analyzed, and possible complications are described. The advantages of the method are indicated. The need for further large-scale scientific research devoted to studying the effectiveness and safety of transarterial embolization of the renal artery for renal cell carcinoma is urgent.

Antimicrobial Peptides: Mechanism, Expressions, and Optimization Strategies.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are favoured because of their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and because they do not easily develop microbial resistance. However, the low yield and difficult extraction processes of AMPs have become bottlenecks in large-scale industrial applications and scientific research. Microbial recombinant production may be the most economical and effective method of obtaining AMPs in large quantities. In this paper, we review the mechanism, summarize the current status of microbial recombinant production, and focus on strategies to improve the yield and activity of AMPs, in order to provide a reference for their large-scale production.

From fiscal-military state to laissez-faire science: liberal government and the nineteenth-century market of scientific activity

AbstractIn nineteenth-century Britain, the role of the state in the cultivation of scientific activity was controversial. After the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, successive governments rolled back the apparatus of the ‘fiscal-military state’, characterized by high taxation and government spending. What followed was a moment of self-avowedly laissez-faire, liberal governance in which contemporaries placed great emphasis on the value of minimal government intervention in market activity. This not only concerned the nation’s social and economic life, but its scientific culture. Leading political and scientific figures frequently promoted science as something best advanced if left to individuals. Yet by the 1900s, the British state was increasingly engaged in financing and organizing large-scale scientific research. The twentieth century would see governments around the world expand their scientific and technological investment, epitomized by the American concept of ‘Big Science’. This article analyses the relationship between the British government and scientific activity during the nineteenth century and argues that, far from a simple matter of minimal intervention, the state was always highly active in the market of science.

Incorporating translanguaging in English instruction: teachers’ beliefs, practices, and influencing factors

ABSTRACT The question of whether and to what extent should the learners’ language repertoire (LR) be incorporated into the teaching of English as an additional language has been controversial for decades. The findings reported in this paper are part of a large-scale research project funded by the Israeli Ministry of Education aiming to introduce a new multilingual education policy. This study investigates teachers’ beliefs and reported practices on the use of their learners’ LR in the teaching of English as an additional language. The background and contextual factors associated with teachers’ use of their learners’ LR were examined as well. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, data sources included online questionnaires (N = 253) distributed to EFL teachers, semi-structured interviews (N = 56), and focus groups (N = 5) with teachers and stakeholders (e.g. inspectors, counselors). The findings revealed two contradictory beliefs intertwined with teachers’ reported practices: a monolingual paradigm and a bi/multilingual perspective. Differences in teachers’ beliefs and reported practices were identified as a function of factors related to the teachers’ background, their role, and contextual factors related to the school setting. Implications for language teacher-training programs in contexts where English is taught as an additional language are also discussed.

301 Leveraging genomics to advance the breeding of Canadian livestock

Abstract Implementing breeding strategies for a more sustainable food system is one of the most pressing topics for livestock industries. Although different species face different challenges, large-scale research projects can pave the way for future opportunities in these key sectors. Herein, we present two examples (dairy and poultry) of how research projects can result in meaningful changes to commercial breeding programs. The first example is an international large-scale dairy project, which will deliver a roadmap for greenhouse gas (GHG) management using genomics and nutrition. The project aims to facilitate a 55% reduction in GHG emissions from Canadian dairy at an estimated value of $338M CAD. This systems-level approach will leverage resources developed through previous and current large-scale projects to produce accurate multi-level emission estimates and identify opportunities to mitigate enteric GHG emissions. The results of this project will provide accurate, reliable, and robust data for industry stakeholders, national policy, and GHG inventories. The second example is a research collaboration with a commercial turkey breeding company that will enable breeding strategies for long-term and sustainable genetic improvement in health traits. This project aims to reduce preslaughter mortality by 5% and condemnations due to myopathies and health issues. This reduction alone is expected to result in 7.5M kg more turkey meat at a value of $19.8M CAD. Furthermore, there is also an expected reduction of 2.3M kg of CO2 equivalent per year for each 1% livability improvement due to production efficiencies and reduced inputs wasted for more sustainable and ethical meat production. Overall, ongoing and future research initiatives will continue to deliver solutions for key Canadian livestock sectors to improve animal health and welfare as well as efficiency and sustainability. The strides made in these ongoing collaborative projects are imperative for enhancing the sustainability of animal agriculture to feed the growing population.

Democratising data within a data-driven research centre: Examining the role of public engagement and involvement

Over the last decade there has been an increasing focus on utilising government-held data for large-scale data linkage research projects, with an emphasis on public benefit. Most, if not all, administrative data research initiatives will recognise public involvement and engagement (PI&E) as a cornerstone of research and emphasise that administrative data is essentially public data, and, therefore, that publics must have a say in how it is used. Much of this focuses on engaging with communities and their representative organisations. What is less explicitly discussed is the role that data-driven research plays within a broader public realm that is increasingly driven by data, or datafied. This paper will examine the ways in which PI&E both challenges and contributes to the datafication of society, through the work of the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), part of ADR UK. It will explore if – and how – PI&E in administrative data research can play a role in democratising this datafied society. The paper will use the Northern Ireland Public Data Panel (NIPDP) and the Voices of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) initiative as case studies to explore the ways in which ADRC NI successfully or unsuccessfully create sites of democratisation within the data ecosystem. Finally, the paper will consider how to amplify the democratic benefits of PI&E in data-driven research while minimising any potential harms, in the form of a potential framework for data justice within PI&E in data-driven research.

Children and young people as research collaborators in a large-scale migration research project

In this paper we detail and contextualise the collaborative participatory research process developed throughout the IMMERSE research project which maps the integration of migrant children in education in Europe. We begin with a brief overview of IMMERSE and thereafter discuss the research design with reference to literature on collaborative research approaches and on working with children and young people’s research advisory groups. IMMERSE involved a large-scale data collection with over 24,000 children and young people in six countries and such large-scale data collection presents a challenging context in which to include children as collaborators and influencers in the research process. We demonstrate how, drawing on existing knowledge as well as our own experiences of working with children as research partners, we developed innovative ways of ensuring children’s voices were integral to and embedded in the research at various points of the process. Throughout the duration of the project, we developed several strategies to ensure that children were involved as research partners and influencers. To ensure children and young people’s active involvement and influence on the research, a Children and Young People’s Advisory Group was established at the beginning of IMMERSE which was composed of 18 migrant and refugee children resident in Ireland. This group acted as an expert group, to reflect on the experiences of migrant children and represent their peers in this process. In addition, children across the six IMMERSE countries were involved in the design and validation of the dashboard of socio-educational integration indicators and the ensuing research instruments.

Discovery of pararealgar and semi-amorphous pararealgar in Rembrandt's The Night Watch: analytical study and historical contextualization

This article reports on the discovery of pararealgar and semi-amorphous pararealgar in Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch. A large-scale research project named Operation Night Watch was started in 2019. A variety of non-invasive analytical imaging techniques, together with paint sample research, has provided new information about Rembrandt's pigments, materials, and techniques as well as the current condition of the painting. Macroscopic X-ray fluorescence, macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction and reflectance imaging spectroscopy identified the presence of arsenic sulfide pigments and degradation products of these pigments in the doublet sleeves and embroidered buff coat worn by Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch (central figure to the right of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq). Examination by light microscopy of two paint samples taken from this area shows a mixture of large sharp-edged tabular yellow and orange to red pigment particles, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis identified these particles as containing arsenic and sulfur. Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, the yellow particles were identified as pararealgar, and the orange to red particles as semi-amorphous pararealgar. Synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction allowed visualization of the presence of multiple degradation products associated with arsenic sulfides throughout the paint layer. The discovery of pararealgar and semi-amorphous pararealgar is a new addition to Rembrandt's pigment palette. To contextualize our findings and to hypothesize why, how, and where Rembrandt obtained the pigments, we studied related historical sources. A comprehensive review of historical sources gives insight into the types of artificial arsenic sulfides that were available and suggests that a broader range of arsenic pigments could have been available in Amsterdam in the seventeenth century than previously thought. This is supported by the use of a very similar mixture of pigments by Willem Kalf (1619–1693), a contemporary artist based in Amsterdam. Together with the condition of the particles in the paint cross sections, this brings us to the conclusion that Rembrandt intentionally used pararealgar and semi-amorphous pararealgar, together with lead–tin yellow and vermilion, to create an orange paint.

Request for confirmation sequences in British and American English

Abstract This article presents the quantitative findings from a comparative study of request for confirmation (RfC) sequences in British English (BE) and American English (AE). The study is part of a large-scale cross-linguistic research project on RfCs in ten languages. RfCs put forward a proposition about which the speaker claims some knowledge but for which they seek (dis)confirmation from an informed co-participant. The article examines linguistic resources for building RfCs and their responses in the two English varieties. RfCs are analyzed with regard to their syntactic design, polarity, modulation, inference marking, connectives, question tags, and the prosodic design of confirmables and potential question tags. Responses to RfCs are analyzed with regard to response type, the use, type and position of response tokens, (non-)minimal responses in turns with a response token, response prefacing, and repeat responses. BE and AE are found to resemble each other closely in most categories. A major exception is their prosodic design, however. Specifically, the preference for the final pitch pattern of RfCs differs markedly in the two varieties: BE shows a strong preference for final falling pitch; AE shows a preference for final rising pitch. This suggests that the two varieties have routinized distinct intonation patterns for expressing epistemic (un)certainty in RfCs.

Структура системы действующих и проблемы функционирования будущих особо охраняемых природных территорий Воронежской области

The Biological Diversity Convention and the National Strategy for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Russia have laid the basis for the implementation of large-scale scientific and practical research aimed at finding effective solutions to this issue. The creation of the SPNA network which includes federal, regional and local significance is one of the promising directions for the conservation, maintenance and reproduction of biodiversity at all levels. The Voronezh Region situated at the junction of forest-steppe and steppe zones, features complex floral, faunal complexes and a unique soil cover dominated by chernozems. The long-term agricultural use of the region’s soils has led to a reduction in areas with natural ecosystems. This has created the prerequisites for establishing a complex, extensive SPNA network in the Voronezh region. The establishment SPNA network is based on a comprehensive regulatory framework, which includes federal laws of the Russian Federation, resolutions of the Voronezh Region Government, the law of the Voronezh Region, orders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Voronezh Region, etc. To date, the SPNA network comprises 256 protected areas, of which 4 are of federal significance, 211 are of regional significance, and 41 are of local significance. This structure of protected areas has positioned the Voronezh Region as one of the leaders in these indicators among the Central Chernozem Regions (ССR). The largest number was created in the Belgorod region – 332 objects, objects, accounting for 11.2% of its territory, the Voronezh region ranks second in terms of the number of objects and the third in terms of the share of protected areas relative to the total area. The functioning of existing and the creation of the new ones face several challenges, among which an important place is occupied by insufficient public awareness of the need to create protected areas as a tool for the conservation of nature and its biological diversity holds a significant place.

Codesign principles for the effective development of digital heritage extended reality systems for health interventions in rural communities

ABSTRACT We present a methodological, theoretical, and technological outline of codesign principles for the effective development of digital heritage extended reality systems for health and care. The paper is based on two large-scale research projects involving ageing in rural and coastal communities, focused on the codesign of extended reality systems to stimulate new forms of access to local heritage sites with potential impact on health outcomes. Our approach stems from a multi-disciplinary collaboration between health, digital design, and heritage specialists, and suggests ways to reconcile diverging forms of knowledge production, such as our ‘researcher in residence’ methodology and the place-based complexities of codesigning such systems. Based on an analysis of fieldwork data and our own fieldwork experiences, the paper presents a roadmap for the codesign of digital heritage extended reality systems for health interventions that meet the needs of stakeholders and organisational implementation requirements, providing a useful tool in supporting the health and social care system for our ageing population.

Collaborative Research in Imperial Vienna: Science Organization, Statehood, and Civil Society, 1848–1914

AbstractThis article deals with the goals, practices, and transformations of collaborative research that emerged between and within bureaucratic and bourgeois models of science organization in the late Habsburg monarchy. It offers novel insights into the political, social, and epistemic dimensions of public engagement in research, and evaluates the frameworks, profit expectations, and challenges involved. As will be exemplified by joint undertakings in the High Alps, the “Orient,” and the Adriatic Sea, private-public partnerships in the form of scientific societies or institutional alliances assumed vital functions. Their stakeholders volunteered for large-scale research projects, coordinated and funded infrastructure such as field stations, research vessels, or collecting expeditions, and became driving forces in establishing new forms of intra-imperial and cross-border collaboration. As such, scientific societies are useful indicators for understanding science-related developments and for illuminating the tensions between imperialism, (inter)national aspirations, and civil-society building. Based on sources from the archives of the k.k. Meteorological Society, the Natural Scientific Oriental Society, and the Adriatic Society, this article will analyze scientific collaboration as a purposeful and power-related interaction process, oriented toward mutual benefits, that took place on three levels: between state-owned research facilities and private societies, between bureaucrats and bourgeois, and between scientists and “non-professionals.”

MONITORING RESEARCH IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SCIENCES

The article interprets and systematizes the idea of monitoring as a research method in the field of social communication sciences for the solution of traditional issues of journalism science and outlines the prospects of its application in view of the current issues of media science, which introduce into the research field the latest trends in the development of the mass media system at the current stage of deployment information society. The scientific value of monitoring as a research method is inseparable from its ability to see mass media as a complex heterogeneous system object and to ensure systematicity (complexity of vision, comparability of data, consistency of aspects of object analysis) of observations of this object at its different levels and in different sections. It is also important to be aware of the need to see the background as a theoretical basis for interpreting monitoring data. Self-sufficient, self-valued empirical monitoring studies of mass media activity can be good material for larger research projects, which demonstrates the high research potential of the monitoring method. Monitoring studies of mass media is the accumulation of empirical material for large-scale research projects in the field of social communications of both synchronic and diachronic type. However, only qualitative data from monitoring studies can be adequately used in the future and productively included in large-scale scientific projects, where comparison of data, combination of disparate empirical material with other analytical data is expected. Monitoring studies of mass media is a perspective of using the accumulation of empirical material for media critical studies and providing recommendations and practical advice for the implementation of mass media activities of editorial teams. This is the potential of monitoring research in the aspect of management decisions in the mass media system. The latest media phenomena that are of research interest, but have not yet entered the science of social communications as an object and subject of scientific understanding, with clearly defined parameters, are probably promising material for monitoring observations. This is a question of understanding the potential of the monitoring method in its application to the newest media phenomena that are significantly transforming the sphere of mass communication activity. Among the media phenomena that can become material for monitoring studies, the author of the article sees, first of all, such notable and influential phenomena as constructive journalism (journalism of solutions) and brand journalism. Monitoring provides an opportunity to verify, through the observation of extensive empirical material, the theoretical statements of scientists regarding the requirements for constructive journalism and brand journalism, which are formulated on the basis of the construction of a conceptual model of this type of mass media work. Thanks to monitoring, it is possible to study constructive journalism and brand journalism in terms of their use of forms of information submission, the specifics of addressing narrow target segments of the mass audience, technologies for retaining the recipient’s attention, etc. The data obtained during the monitoring can be used in a comparative study in the future, which can significantly expand the understanding of modern science about the latest media phenomena, which are still difficult to fit into the limits of scientific interpretations. If we see the latest trends and phenomena in the mass communication environment as indicators of transformations and look for factors of significant changes and shifts in social communication activity, then monitoring as a research method can be extremely useful and promising in understanding changes in the mass media system.

Current understanding of prostate cancer biomarkers

Worldwide, prostate cancer has remained one of the most common malignant neoplasms among men and it is accompanied by high mortality rates. Standard methods for diagnosing prostate cancer have limited sensitivity and specificity, unnecessary biopsies are often performed, and the risk of overdiagnosis of the disease and overtreatment of patients is high. The review considers diagnostic and prognostic biological markers of prostate cancer proposed in recent years. Theoretical foundations for the use of new biomarkers are analyzed. The characteristics and practical significance of biomarkers of various groups (immunohistochemical, molecular and genetic, prostate specific antigen-associated, volatile organic metabolites) are presented. The need for further large-scale scientific research in the field of biomarker application in prostate cancer, criteria for their selection and evaluation are described. The introduction of modern diagnostic and prognostic markers into real clinical practice opens up new opportunities for improvement of prostate cancer diagnosis, individual prognosis, and rationalization of treatment strategy.

Cultural Practices and Socio-Digital Inequalities in Europe: Towards a Unified Research Framework in Cultural Participation Studies

In this article, we propose a unified research framework for studying the impact of social and digital inequalities on four types of cultural practices: offline art-related practices, offline everyday cultural practices, online art-related practices, and online everyday cultural practices. In contrast to the research traditions that study them separately, we argue that the subject of further research should be the interplay between cultural practices in offline and online domains and that the impact of social and digital inequalities on cultural participation should be studied jointly. Based on empirical evidence from a large-scale research project carried out in nine European countries, we demonstrate the benefits of sidestepping what we see as a strange disconnect between the research traditions studying cultural practices and inequalities in the offline and online spheres separately. The results of our research show that only the inclusion of online and everyday cultural practices in the analysis does justice to the complexity of contemporary cultural participation and its relation to what we refer to as socio-digital inequalities.

Cross-Cultural Adult ADHD Assessment in 42 Countries Using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Screener

Objective: We analyzed adult ADHD symptoms in a cross-cultural context, including investigating the occurrence and potential correlates of adult ADHD and psychometric examination of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener. Method: Our analysis is based on a large-scale research project involving 42 countries (International Sex Survey, N=72,627, 57% women, Mage=32.84; SDage=12.57). Results: The ASRS Screener demonstrated good reliability and validity, along with partial invariance across different languages, countries, and genders. The occurrence of being at risk for adult ADHD was relatively high (21.4% for women, 18.1% for men). The highest scores were obtained in the US, Canada, and other English-speaking Western countries, with significantly lower scores among East Asian and non-English-speaking European countries. Moreover, ADHD symptom severity and occurrence were especially high among gender-diverse individuals. Significant associations between adult ADHD symptoms and age, mental and sexual health, and socioeconomic status were observed. Conclusions: Present results show significant cross-cultural variability in adult ADHD occurrence as well as highlight important factors related to adult ADHD. Moreover, the importance of further research on adult ADHD in previously understudied populations (non-Western countries) and minority groups (gender-diverse individuals) is stressed. Lastly, the present analysis is consistent with previous evidence showing low specificity of adult ADHD screening instruments and contributes to the current discussion on accurate adult ADHD screening and diagnosis.

Unveiling the urban sports landscape: Profiling participants, motives, and policy implications.

The lack of knowledge regarding urban sports poses pressing challenges for governments and sports organisations to deal with in light of its increasing popularity. To develop targeted policy strategies, more insight is needed into the features of urban sports. Therefore, this research aims to establish a profile of urban sports participants in terms of characteristics, behaviours in sports participation, and motives for sports participation. Data was gathered during a large-scale research project on sports participation in the Belgian city of Bruges. A total of 3,951 residents between 6 and 75 years old participated in an online survey. Descriptive statistics and binomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine the differences between urban and traditional sports participants. Based on a binomial regression model, the sports level and location significantly predict urban sports participation. The physical motives for sports participation are significantly less important for urban sports participants compared to the group of traditional sports participants. Urban sports participants value the fun and relaxation motives for sports participation significantly more than traditional sports participants. This paper aimed to establish a comprehensive profile of urban sports participants and juxtaposed it to that of traditional sports participants. While existing literature often portrays urban sports participants as a relatively homogeneous group, our findings reveal a surprising heterogeneity. Consequently, given its increasing popularity, urban sports present a valuable avenue for governments and sports organisations to engage with a diverse range of sports participants.

The Digital Nuclear Reactor Initiative: First steps towards advanced applications

A large-scale research and development project, the Digital Nuclear Reactor initiative, involving the major players in the French nuclear industry has started in 2020. The project aims at developing an advanced Digital Twin comprising two innovative products: (1) a service platform for studies and (2) a new kind of simulator to respond to the growing demand of “just in time” training. After a brief overview of the Digital Nuclear Reactor initiative, the paper will focus on the service platform for advanced studies. This workbench, based on SALOME building-blocks, provides access to multi-physics and multi-scale simulations based on specialized codes couplings that can be adopted for developing new methods and expertise in support to reactor operation and design. An overview of the architectural choices implemented for allowing a modular structure of the workbench is presented. In order to illustrate the service platform functionalities, several scenarios involving different physics and scales approaches are described. Based on those scenarios, it has been possible to answer to the goal of the codes interoperability and interchangeability and their coupling with uncertainties platforms (i.e. URANIE, OpenTURNS). Specific examples are provided to illustrate the main achievements and some possible perspectives.

Using R to Apply Open Science Principles in Second Language Acquisition and Didactics

In this article, the advantages of the Open Science movement in terms of open access to publications and results, collaboration between researchers, and especially methodological transparency, are presented. It is then argued that the R software is a useful tool which can contribute to the sharing of data analysis methods by providing explicit information about the pre-treatment of data files and the statistical analyses used. R also helps with the comprehension of results by facilitating the production of data-accountable graphics. This is illustrated in the context of a large-scale research project requiring the use of statistics to analyze data from pre- and post-tests to validate the use of Luciole, an educational app teaching English listening comprehension in first- and second-grade classrooms in France.

How to Encourage Inclusion in a Qualitative Research Project Using a Design-Based Research Methodology

Many issues and challenges face research design and research teams that want to become more inclusive, especially in large-scale research projects involving many stakeholders. This article explores an approach called Design-Based Research (DBR). DBR has been widely used in education for several years; it emphasizes collaboration with the community and takes the context of participants into consideration. DBR is transposable to other disciplines and is intended to be inclusive of the diverse stakeholders involved in a research project. For instance, in an ongoing research project about unconscious bias and inclusive behaviors, it takes into account all stakeholders’ needs and involves them in all stages of the research, which is taking place in a real-world context rather than a laboratory. The aim of this article is to better understand how the DBR methodology enables the inclusion of historically marginalized groups and how it is applied in the field. This exploratory article will present an example of an ongoing research project using the DBR methodology to show how this approach can be more inclusive than experimental approaches. This exploration reveals the positive impact of DBR in implementing solutions that can help reduce inequalities and power relationships. It also reveals the complexity of conducting qualitative research in a social laboratory. In particular, it takes into account the specificity of each historically marginalized group, from an intersectional perspective, the difficulty of operating within a process where not everything is determined in advance, and the need for a researcher specializing in DBR. It is important to allow sufficient time and financial resources at each stage to recognize the involvement of community organizations. The tools and knowledge generated by this type of research project will be useful for other organizations and future research.