Open Access Research Articles

Who is supporting who? Re-imagining Graduate Teaching Assistant training and support in a School of Environmental Sciences

Despite the growing use of postgraduate research students as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) within UK higher education institutes, challenges remain in how to best support these students. This study reports on the GTA experience within a School of Environmental Sciences at a research-intensive UK university. Specifically, the study explores GTA training opportunities and support provision. Findings were drawn from surveys of GTAs and academic staff. Responses revealed that whilst GTAs made a wide range of valuable contributions to teaching, they and academic staff were often unsure or unaware of (i) their individual responsibilities, and/or (ii) development opportunities already available. These barriers have the potential to influence GTAs’ confidence in their ability to teach and can reduce their sense of identity within the school. Based on these findings, suggested areas for action are discussed in a bid to further embed good practice in the use of GTAs within the school. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/ .

5.X.2. Improving indoor air quality: a public health challenge

Abstract Indoor air quality (IAQ) may have a profound effect on a person’s physical and mental health and well-being. The Knowledge for Indoor Air Quality and Health (K-HEALTHinAIR) project (grant no 101057693) is an interdisciplinary European research project that brings together 15 partners across 8 countries to study the sources, determinants and health outcomes related to IAQ. We aim to increase knowledge and provide input for more accurate monitoring and interventions, promoting healthy indoor air quality across several public health settings. The main aim of this workshop is to engage the public health community in the relevance of IAQ as a public health concern. We will share the innovative and new methodologies applied in the K-HEALTHinAIR project to study IAQ and health and discuss opportunities as well as challenges in this field of research to support shared learning. This workshop highlights IAQ pollutant sources and determinants, seasonal variation in IAQ, older people’s IAQ and health, and presents the project’s open access platform that is developed to share knowledge. We will zoom in on the evidence available for the sources and determinants of exposure to indoor air pollutants. This activity, a systematic review, was fundamental to identify the gaps of knowledge and guide the preparation of data collection tools. It also depicts the main pollutants present in indoor settings and the respective sources and determinants of exposure. Then, one of the 9 public health scenarios studied in the project is presented. We will focus on the first results regarding (determinants of) IAQ variation in primary schools at several locations in Poland. Next, the pilot study in older people living in senior homes in the Netherlands presents first findings of IAQ and health data in this vulnerable population. Finally, the project will deliver an open-access platform aiming to be the one-stop-shop for IAQ Knowledge. The user-profiles identified are presented. At the end, the workshop participants will be up to date on the project’s activities, its relevance for public health and the open access platform via which all output will be shared. Participants will leave with increased understanding of public health research needed to further study IAQ and its impact on health and well-being. Key messages • Indoor air quality is a public health concern impacting health and well-being, especially in vulnerable populations such as children and older people. • The K-HEALTHinAIR project is a multidisciplinary research project in which innovative methodologies are applied to increase knowledge on indoor air quality and health.

K-HEALTHinAIR Open Access Platform: exploring user-profiles

Abstract Background There is a lack of awareness and accessible knowledge of IAQ effects on citizens’ health. The K-HEALTHinAIR project is working to provide a one-stop-shop for IAQ knowledge. With this aim, partners are co-designing with representatives of the quadruple helix a unique platform to allocate data, information, and relevant resources to research and foster IAQ in Europe. This platform is envisioned to store in an accessible and friendly manner datasets of concentrations of key indoor air pollutants and health parameters, standardized Key Performance Indicators, indoor location characterization information, IAQ recommendations and regulations and analytical models. Methods First, a stakeholders mapping was performed in all project pilot sites to identify the platform potential users. Second, partners identified with stakeholders which information, data and resources of the project would be of interest and how to present them. Findings were summarized in user-profiles according to the quadruple helix (academia, public administration, industry, and general society). Results A set of resources had been identified for each user profile. Each of them will be adapted and formatted according to the users’ needs before uploading it to the platform. The platform will allow users to access information according to their interest in an accessible a friendly manner. In this sense, a dashboard will be included in the website of the project for accessing the different modules of the platform: data management module and knowledge sharing module. The platform is being co-designed and will be tested in the project scenarios with representatives of the quadruple helix. Conclusions The K-HEALTHinAIR Open Access platform aims to be the one-stop-shop for IAQ knowledge.

Fully automated artificial intelligence-based cine cardiac magnetic resonance image quantification

Abstract Background Analyzing cine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images is a task that demands substantial experience and time, and it is subject to both inter- and intra-observer variability. Existing automated tools in the clinics for image analysis often necessitate substantial editing to enable accurate quantification. Objective To tackle this issue, in this study, we developed and validated a fully automated artificial intelligence (AI)-based system for the analysis of cine CMR images, aiming to address these challenges. Method In this study, 1,038 patients with CMR images were enrolled. Out of these, 350 CMR images, along with corresponding segmentations for the left ventricle myocardium (LVM) and the left- and right ventricles (LV and RV, respectively), sourced from open access data from 5 centers and databases (with different cardiac diseases), were utilized for model development. The remaining images from two local registries were used to evaluate the model. A 2D U-Net network with deep supervision, enhanced with various image augmentation techniques, was developed for automatic segmentation. The developed model was subsequently utilized to segment the test dataset of 4D (3D+time) short-axis cine CMR images. End-diastolic volumes (EDV) and end-systolic volumes (ESV) were automatically detected from these segmentations and evaluated against the ground truth calculations performed by two experienced physicians using commercially validated software. Results In the test set, Dice scores of 0.84, 0.90, and 0.93 were achieved for the RV, LV, and LVM, respectively. The mean percentage error for EDV was 0.6% for LV and -6.32% for RV. Regarding ESV, the mean percentage error was 2.95% for LV and -6.32% for RV. A -6.95% error was achieved for LV mass calculation. The stroke volumes for LV and RV were calculated with a mean percent error of -2.52% and -8.43%, respectively. We achieved a mean percent error of -3.22% for LV and -1.64% for RV ejection fraction. Conclusion The fully automated AI-based quantitative analysis of cine cardiac MR images developed in this study demonstrated high agreement with the ground truth across large datasets, including those from external centers. This method can significantly reduce the time required for image analysis and enhance the accuracy and consistency of cardiac quantitative assessments in clinical settings.

Challenges and opportunities for open access book publishing: A perspective from a society publisher in the geosciences

AbstractThe American Geophysical Union (AGU), a scholarly society serving the Earth and space sciences, has a conventional books portfolio with their publisher, Wiley, and a new partnership with the Geological Society of London for an open access (OA) book series. The latter serves authors who need (because of funding mandates) or want to publish OA and comes with added benefits, including a production workflow to facilitate faster times to online publication. Flexibility in how the costs of individual volumes can be covered aims to encourage uptake, but challenges lie ahead in ensuring that all authors can equitably choose OA for their book project. This commentary contributes to the collection in Area about the evolving OA books landscape, addressing many of the challenges described by Gandy, and describing the start of AGU's journey towards OA books. It brings a perspective from the sciences, where books are mostly large, edited volumes with many international contributors, many of them physical geographers. Their experiences of funding, motivation and recognition for contributing to books may be quite different to human geographers more familiar with the sole‐authored monograph format.

The role of clinical exchange programs in postgraduate obgyn training: A case-study of the FIGO-WATOG One World Exchange.

To evaluate the role of clinical exchange programs in postgraduate obgyn training using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)-World Association of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynecology (WATOG) One World Exchange (OWE), a clinical exchange program held in France in October 2023, as a case-study. This was a cross-sectional study. A 31-item structured questionnaire designed with Google Forms was electronically distributed to the 51 obgyn postgraduate trainees (OWE fellows) who participated in the OWE, to collect information about the exchange. Collected data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics for Windows. The survey response rate was 68.6%. The mean age of the respondents was 33.0 ± 4.0 years. Majority of the them were females (26, 74.3%), married (19, 54.3%), at least in their third year of training (30, 85.7%) and from Africa (11, 31.4%). During the period of the exchange program, fellows observed various obstetric and gynecologic procedures, including open and minimal access procedures, with more than one-fifth (8, 22.9%) of them reporting that they were allowed to assist in some of these procedures. The fellows noted salient differences in practice between their exchange hospitals and their home countries. An overwhelming majority (30, 85.7%) of the fellows believed the OWE was beneficial and would positively impact their clinical practices back in their home countries. Clinical exchange programs like the OWE provide valuable benefits in improving the clinical knowledge and skills of postgraduate obgyn trainees.

The Formation of Human Qualities for Life in Teachers: A Review of Scientific Literature

The purpose of this article is to analyze the literature of the last five years to provide a perspective on the development of qualities for life in teachers. The research design is a literature review with a qualitative approach in which the systematic literature review technique was used in Scopus, Scielo, Redalyc, Dialnet, Proquest, Erih Plus, DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), Latindex, the library and the Universidad César Vallejo. The systematic literature review was based on the PRISMA methodology, with inclusion criteria for selection: publications based on a scientific methodology, by a single author or by several authors, published from 2019 to 2023 and as keywords: human qualities for life, human skills, competencies and/or skills. The exclusion criteria ruled out publications from before 2019, without reliable or significant results for this research, which are duplicates and/or have an inconsequential abstract. It was possible to identify in the last five years 17 scientific publications on the development of qualities for life in teachers: six have been published by a single author and 11 collectively, three correspond to 2019, four to 2020, six to 2021 and four to 2022. It was concluded that the issue of the development of qualities for life in teachers is a social and educational phenomenon widely spread worldwide that has generated the interest of several researchers in the last five years.

Approaches to Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: Surgery vs. Non-Surgery Treatment

Introduction: Knee Osteoarthritis (KO) is a progressive, chronic disease that damage the joint cartilage of a knee and leads to a changes in a anatomy of the joint. Both surgical and non-surgical methods are used to treat the disease. In this study, we will compare the invasive vs non-invasive methods of KO treatment. Objectives: The review and presentation of the current state of knowledge on Treating Knee Osteoarthritis, comparing surgery vs non-surgery methods. Material and Methods: Review of the studies available on open access sources at PubMed, Google Scholar and National Library of Medicine. Conclusions: Surgery approach for the Knee Osteoarthritis treatment are more durable, have better pain relief and treat casually the OA. Similar effects cannot be reached by non-surgery methods yet. However, there is a big promise in future studies about non-surgery methods, which can also raise a Quality of Life significantly and even avoid or postpone an operation in some groups of patients.

CARE guidelines in publishing case reports in paediatrics: where do we stand after 10 years?

Background: Case reports are especially important in paediatrics, and CARE (CAse REport) guidelines help in standardizing the reporting in case reports. Objectives: To examine the actual use of CARE guidelines in journals in the field of paediatrics. Methods: Journals that publish case reports were selected from the databases of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC; Science Citation Index Expanded, or SCIE; and Emerging Sources Citation Index, or ESCI). All journals that publish case reports and mention CARE guidelines were included, and the ranking (quartiles) of those journals was also recorded. From all the journals in paediatrics that mention CARE in their instructions for authors, 5% of all the open-access case reports were selected (limited to 10 reports from any one journal), and every 10th case report was included in the analysis. The reports published between 2013 and 2023 were further analysed for their compliance with the 13-item CARE checklist. Results: Of 184 journals in the field of paediatrics category included in the WoSCC, 130 (71%) were indexed in the SCIE and 54 (29%) in the ESCI; 161 (87%) publish case reports; and 121 (65%) mention CARE guidelines in their instructions for authors. However, they differ in applying CARE guidelines (P = .001), and more journals included in the ESCI mention CARE guidelines than do those included in the SCIE. During 2013–2023, a total of 22,989 case reports were published in the 121 journals that mention CARE guidelines. Of the total, 6733 (29%) were open access. Our final sample comprised 326 (5%) open access case reports that were open access, of which 240 (74%) were in the journals included in the SCIE and 86 (26%) in the ESCI. On aver-age, these reports were given a score of 8.5 (SD 1.97; range, 2–13) out of the maximum possible score of 13. The highest compliance was observed for the informed consent item (99%), while the lowest compliance was found for the keywords item (22%). Conclusion: It is important for journals to ensure that during writing and editing, the case reports they publish adhere to CARE guidelines so as to eliminate biased reporting and improve their quality.

FSP1 Acts in Parallel with GPX4 to Inhibit Ferroptosis in COPD.

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) has recently been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ferroptosis suppressor protein-1 (FSP1) is a protein that defends against ferroptosis in parallel with GPX4, but its role in the pathogenesis of COPD remains unexplored, and further research is needed. Normal and COPD lung tissues were obtained from lobectomy and lung transplant specimens, respectively. FSP1-overexpressing mice were established by monthly transfection with AAV9-FSP1 through modified intranasal administration. The expression of FSP1, GPX4, and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) was measured by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and other methods. The correlation between FSP1 and ferroptosis and the role of FSP1 in COPD were explored by screening the expression of ferroptosis-related genes in a COPD cell model after the inhibition and overexpression of FSP1. We then explored the underlying mechanism of low FSP1 expression in patients with COPD in vitro by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP)-qPCR. We found that cigarette smoke exposure can lead to an increase in lipid peroxide production and ultimately ferroptosis, which is negatively regulated by FSP1 activity. FSP1 overexpression can prevent ferroptosis and alleviate emphysema. Next, we found that decreased FSP1 expression was caused by increased m6A modification of FSP1 mRNA. Moreover, the level of FSP1 decreased in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. These results indicate that METTL3-induced FSP1 mRNA methylation leading to low FSP1 expression is a potential therapeutic target for COPD. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

INNOVATIONS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF UKRAINE

The article examines the characteristics of innovations in human resource management within Ukraine’s public sector. It defines the concept of innovation in human resource management as the introduction of new ideas, methods, technologies, and processes aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of managing human resources. The importance of studying this topic is highlighted, particularly in light of the need for the public sector and government bodies to adapt to the demands of wartime and the socio-political crisis, as well as the necessity to develop a strategy for advancing the public sector through the implementation of various international agreements. The main objective of the study is to analyze the specific features of introducing innovations in the human resource management system of Ukraine’s public sector. This includes identifying successful practices for implementing electronic systems, key areas for the digitalization of public administration, and promising research directions. The study demonstrates that several organizational, technological, and social variables influence the interactions between employees, management, and other stakeholders. For instance, technological innovations enable the automation of HR processes (e.g., talent management systems, HR analytics, electronic document management platforms) and the use of online tools for employee training and development (e-learning, webinars). Organizational innovations promote the adoption of new management models. The study highlights several priority areas for further development: strategic communications in public policy, shaping the corporate culture of government agencies, defining their mission, strategic goals, values, and vision; fostering innovative leadership; developing horizontal connections within organizations through innovation; and ensuring principles such as fairness, transparency, openness, and equal access through the digital transformation of public administration.

SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND ITS IMPACT ON ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH KNOWLEDGE IN MANCAR VILLAGE

Adolescence is a critical period of transition marked by biological, psychological, and social changes. This community service program aimed to educate adolescents on reproductive health through sexuality education at the Youth Posyandu in Mancar Village, Jombang. Conducted on June 26, 2024, the program involved 15 adolescent participants. It addressed the lack of knowledge about reproductive health and sought to improve adolescents' understanding and attitudes toward their reproductive well-being. A series of activities, including seminars, discussions, and demonstrations, were held to provide comprehensive information on reproductive health. The results showed a significant increase in the participants' knowledge, with 100% of the adolescents demonstrating a good understanding of reproductive health by the end of the program. This initiative highlighted the importance of open access to reproductive health education for adolescents and encouraged parental involvement in discussing reproductive health topics. The program concluded successfully, with participants actively engaging in the learning process and demonstrating increased awareness of reproductive health issues.

Mapping the landscape of machine learning models used for predicting transfusions in surgical procedures: a scoping review

Massive transfusion of blood products poses challenges in determining the need for transfusion and the appropriate volume of blood products. This review explores the use of machine learning (ML) models to predict transfusion risk during surgical procedure, focusing on the methodology, variables, and software employed to predict transfusion. This scoping review investigates the development and current state of machine learning models for predicting transfusion risk during surgical procedure, aiming to inform physicians about the field’s progress and potential directions.The review was conducted using the databases Cochrane, Embase, and PubMed. The search included keywords related to blood transfusion, statistical models, and surgical procedures. Peer-reviewed articles were included, while literature reviews, case reports, and non-human studies were excluded.A total of 40 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently studied biological variables included haemoglobin, platelet count, international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, creatinine, white blood cells, and albumin. Clinical variables of importance included age, sex, surgery type, blood pressure, weight, surgery duration, american society of anesthesiology (ASA) status, blood loss, and body mass index (BMI). The software employed varied, with Python, R, SPSS, and SAS being the most commonly used. Logistic regression was the predominant methodology used in 20 studies.Our scoping review highlights the need for improved reporting and transparency in methodology, variables, and software used. Future research should focus on providing detailed descriptions and open access to codes of respective models, promoting reproducibility, and enhancing the clinical relevance of transfusion risk prediction models.

Open with care.

Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about open access to data.

Studying technical sciences without borders: We use the navigator for open educational resources. Part 1. The Russian experience

Introduction. The introduction of information and communication technologies into learning processes expands the possibilities of using information resources and becomes one of the priorities of the transforming higher education system. These changes are reflected in the trends in the development and application of open educational resources. However, the scale and fragmentation of data on the Internet, as well as the lack of open educational resources standards, makes the information retrieval process a difficult task and requires professional skills.Purpose setting. To determine the relevance and prospects for the development of sectoral open educational resources, it is necessary to analyze their role in the modern educational system. It is important to identify the possibilities of using open access research in technical sciences as one of the tools to eliminate social inequality in higher education. To identify and present arguments for the purpose of justifying the need to develop an industry-specific «Navigator on OER of Technical Sciences» (hereinafter referred to as the «Navigator»).Methodology and methods of the study. The research methodology covers the study and analysis of scientific papers devoted to the development of tools and initiatives in the field of open educational resources in technical sciences both in Russia and abroad. This study is also based on the method of oral questioning of students, postgraduates and teachers of technical disciplines at universities in Novosibirsk. Results. An array of scientific literature and web resources has been studied, providing free access to scientific and educational information in the field of research under consideration. Taking into account empirical data, the necessity of developing a «Navigator» on open educational resources in the system of higher technical education is justified (http://lib-os.ru/issledovatelyam/resursy/obrazovatelnye- resursy/navigator-oor-techn-nauk/).Conclusion. The study of technical sciences using open educational resources contributes to the effective improvement of professional level and allows you to be aware of current solutions to innovative activities in the field of knowledge under consideration.

Paradoxical growth of publications by authors from developing countries in gold open access journals: a commentary on Dr. Cernat’s, 2024 article

Paradoxical growth of publications by authors from developing countries in gold open access journals: a commentary on Dr. Cernat’s, 2024 article

The Sonora Substellar Atmosphere Models. III. Diamondback: Atmospheric Properties, Spectra, and Evolution for Warm Cloudy Substellar Objects

We present a new grid of cloudy atmosphere and evolution models for substellar objects. These models include the effect of refractory cloud species, including silicate clouds, on the spectra and evolution. We include effective temperatures from 900 to 2400 K and surface gravities from log g = 3.5 to 5.5, appropriate for a broad range of objects with masses between 1 and 84 M J. Model pressure–temperature structures are calculated assuming radiative–convective and chemical equilibrium. We consider the effect of both clouds and metallicity on the atmospheric structure, resulting spectra, and thermal evolution of substellar worlds. We parameterize clouds using the A. S. Ackerman & M. S. Marley cloud model, including cloud parameter f sed values from 1 to 8; we include three metallicities (−0.5, 0.0, and +0.5). Refractory clouds and metallicity both alter the evolution of substellar objects, changing the inferred temperature at a given age by up to 100–200 K. For solar-metallicity evolution models including clouds in warm objects, we find a hydrogen-burning minimum mass of 70.2 M J, close to empirical measurements; we find a deuterium-burning minimum mass of 12.05 M J (50% of initial D burned). We compare to the observed photometry of brown dwarfs, finding broad agreement with the measured photometry. We publish the spectra, evolution, and other data products online with open access on Zenodo (doi:10.5281/zenodo.12735103).

Fire at Sea: A 70-year Review of Fire-Related Mass Casualty Events on U.S. Aircraft Carriers.

A major fire at sea is among the most devastating events that can occur while a U.S. Navy combatant vessel is underway. Since World War II, no attack on a large U.S. Navy capital ship has occurred during combat operations. However, increasing global tensions raise the threat of future peer adversary naval combat, and shipboard medical caregivers must be prepared for mass casualty events in the deployed maritime environment. To better prepare modern naval caregivers for this possibility, we reviewed mass casualty events from major fires aboard large U.S. Navy aircraft carriers from 1950 through 2020 to summarize available objective data and identify lessons learned. Underway fires from any cause aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships causing more than 10 casualties (injuries + deaths) were reviewed from 1950 through 2020 using available open access sources including literature review, the Naval Safety Command mishap database, and U.S. Navy Judge Advocate Manual reports. Of 246 fires identified, 27 met inclusion criteria resulting in 1,634 casualties with a combined crew mortality of 23% of those injured. In the 16 events with at least 1 death, 2.0% of the total crew was injured with a combined mortality of 28%. All mishaps occurred while underway during routine training or combat operations; none were caused by an enemy combatant attack. Those events affecting more than 5% of the crew were particularly devastating resulting in a mortality rate of 29% of 1,056 total casualties. Given that main medical spaces may be damaged or destroyed during major fires from any cause, identified lessons learned included the need for (1) distributed medical supplies, (2) flexible medical treatment locations throughout the ship, (3) specific training to prepare non-physician caregivers and non-medical first responders to provide burn and hemorrhagic shock resuscitation, airway management, and prolonged care at or near the point of injury, and (4) the prolonged holding capability of critically ill burned and injured patients if evacuation off the ships is unavailable. Shipboard fires underway pose a significant threat to crew safety with a mortality of nearly a quarter of those injured. These fire mass casualty events immediately overwhelm shipboard medical capabilities requiring a complex response from all hands beginning with non-medical first responders. Notably, all events occurred outside of direct enemy combat, potentially underestimating the impact and number of casualties of a shipboard fire during naval combat. Advances in peer weaponry and the threat of future conflict emphasize the need for pre-deployment burn care training for all shipboard medical caregivers as well as advanced airway and resuscitation training for non-physician caregivers. This review underscores the profound impact of shipboard fires on crew safety, highlighting the critical need for enhanced preparedness and response strategies to prepare for fire-related mishaps during routine operations and naval combat.

Designing Cyberinfrastructure for Knowledge Sharing

FishSounds is an online portal that provides open and user-friendly access to academic scholarship regarding the sounds made by fish species. It is the result of an international collaboration between students, scientists, and information professionals, and has become a resource used around the globe for research, education, journalism, and general interest. This website is just the first instance of a new approach to sharing knowledge and an emerging cyberinfrastructure for open scholarship. The codebase behind FishSounds was designed to be reusable with other datasets, and in the coming years additional portals will connect users to knowledge from varied subject areas across academic disciplines. This discussion examines the development and reception of FishSounds as a case study for the creation of these websites, called Searchable Online Catalogues of Knowledge, or SOCKs. As it is publicly released, the SOCK platform will continue to evolve and develop new strategies based on the lessons learned from different audiences accessing FishSounds.

Moving Forward: The Last Subscription Issue and the Dawn of Open Access

Moving Forward: The Last Subscription Issue and the Dawn of Open Access