Humanities Research Research Articles

Artificial intelligence (AI) in psychology: a commentary on AI’s emerging role and the ensuing conversation

This brief commentary explores the opportunities and challenges presented by the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in the field of psychology in South Africa. Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise teaching and learning, research, content production, and professional services, but it also presents some challenges to academic and professional psychology in South Africa. While some generative artificial intelligence can produce written work, such as assignments, literature reviews, and theses, they currently cannot replace human reasoning and the critical thinking abilities required to argue a particular point (at this stage). Artificial intelligence chatbots can also act as teaching assistants and even provide complex psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavioural therapy. In research and publication, artificial intelligence can increase efficiency and provide new insights and perspectives by detecting patterns and relationships that may have been overlooked by human researchers. However, the use of artificial intelligence raises ethical concerns, particularly around ownership and authorship of artificial intelligence–generated content, potential biases, and errors. The commentary concludes that as artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve, and with the human–artificial intelligence partnership continuing to unfold, it is important to recognise the risks associated with its use in academic writing and ensure that psychology students develop appropriate research skills.

Uncertainty in humanities network visualization

Network visualization is one of the most widely used tools in digital humanities research. The idea of uncertain or “fuzzy” data is also a core notion in digital humanities research. Yet network visualizations in digital humanities do not always prominently represent uncertainty. In this article, we present a mathematical and logical model of uncertainty as a range of values which can be used in network visualizations. We review some of the principles for visualizing uncertainty of different kinds, visual variables that can be used for representing uncertainty, and how these variables have been used to represent different data types in visualizations drawn from a range of non-humanities fields like climate science and bioinformatics. We then provide examples of two diagrams: one in which the variables displaying degrees of uncertainty are integrated/pinto the graph and one in which glyphs are added to represent data certainty and uncertainty. Finally, we discuss how probabilistic data and what-if scenarios could be used to expand the representation of uncertainty in humanities network visualizations.

Machine Learning-Assisted Identification of Single-Layer Graphene via Color Variation Analysis.

Techniques such as using an optical microscope and Raman spectroscopy are common methods for detecting single-layer graphene. Instead of relying on these laborious and expensive methods, we suggest a novel approach inspired by skilled human researchers who can detect single-layer graphene by simply observing color differences between graphene flakes and the background substrate in optical microscope images. This approach implemented the human cognitive process by emulating it through our data extraction process and machine learning algorithm. We obtained approximately 300,000 pixel-level color difference data from 140 graphene flakes from 45 optical microscope images. We utilized the average and standard deviation of the color difference data for each flake for machine learning. As a result, we achieved F1-Scores of over 0.90 and 0.92 in identifying 60 and 50 flakes from green and pink substrate images, respectively. Our machine learning-assisted computing system offers a cost-effective and universal solution for detecting the number of graphene layers in diverse experimental environments, saving both time and resources. We anticipate that this approach can be extended to classify the properties of other 2D materials.

Using the Operating Room Black Box to Assess Surgical Team Member Adaptation Under Uncertainty: An Observational Study.

Identify how surgical team members uniquely contribute to teamwork and adapt their teamwork skills during instances of uncertainty. The importance of surgical teamwork in preventing patient harm is well documented. Yet, little is known about how key roles (nurse, anesthesiologist, surgeon, and medical trainee) uniquely contribute to teamwork during instances of uncertainty, particularly when adapting to and rectifying an intraoperative adverse event (IAE). Audiovisual data of 23 laparoscopic cases from a large community teaching hospital were prospectively captured using OR Black Box. Human factors researchers retrospectively coded videos for teamwork skills (backup behavior, coordination, psychological safety, situation assessment, team decision-making, and leadership) by team role under 2 conditions of uncertainty: associated with an IAE versus no IAE. Surgeons identified IAEs. In all, 1015 instances of teamwork skills were observed. Nurses adapted to IAEs by expressing more backup behavior skills (5.3× increase; 13.9 instances/hour during an IAE vs 2.2 instances/hour when no IAE) while surgeons and medical trainees expressed more psychological safety skills (surgeons: 3.6× increase; 30.0 instances/hour vs 6.6 instances/hour and trainees: 6.6× increase; 31.2 instances/hour vs 4.1 instances/hour). All roles expressed fewer situation assessment skills during an IAE versus no IAE. OR Black Box enabled the assessment of critically important details about how team members uniquely contribute during instances of uncertainty. Some teamwork skills were amplified, while others dampened when dealing with IAEs. The knowledge of how each role contributes to teamwork and adapts to IAEs should be used to inform the design of tailored interventions to strengthen interprofessional teamwork.

Uncovering hidden treasures: Mapping morphological changes in the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts using deep learning

Deep Learning (DL) is becoming an increasingly popular technology being employed in life sciences research due to its ability to perform complex and time-consuming tasks with significantly greater speed, accuracy, and reproducibility than human researchers – allowing them to dedicate their time to more complex tasks. One potential application of DL is to analyze cell images taken by microscopes. Quantitative analysis of cell microscopy images remain a challenge – with manual cell characterization requiring excessive amounts of time and effort. DL can address these issues, by quickly extracting such data and enabling rigorous, empirical analysis of images. Here, DL is used to quantitively analyze images of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) differentiating into Osteoblasts (OBs), tracking morphological changes throughout this transition. The changes in morphology throughout the differentiation protocol provide evidence for a distinct path of morphological transformations that the cells undergo in their transition, with changes in perimeter being observable before changes in eceentricity. Subsequent differentiation experiments can be quantitatively compared with our dataset to concretely evaluate how different conditions affect differentiation and this paper can also be used as a guide for researchers on how to utilize DL workflows in their own labs.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ALGORITHMIZATION OF THE AUTOMATED WRITING OF SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

In the rapidly evolving landscape of scientific research, the demand for efficient and precise dissemination of knowledge has led to the exploration of innovative approaches. This article delves into the burgeoning field of algorithmization applied to the automated writing of scientific publications. As traditional methods of manuscript preparation face challenges related to time consumption and potential human errors, the integraton of algorithms promises to revolutionize the publication process.
 The article commences with an exploration of the current challenges in scientific writing, highlighting the time-intensive nature of literature review, data analysis, and drafting. It underscores the potential for automation to alleviate researchers' burden by streamlining these processes, allowing them to focus more on the core aspects of their research.
 The ethical considerations inherent in algorithmic scientific writing are thoroughly addressed. The article scrutinizes concerns related to intellectual property, authorship attribution, and potential biases embedded in algorithms. It advocates for transparent practices and emphasizes the need for researchers to maintain oversight over algorithmic outputs to preserve the integrity of scientific discourse. [1]
 An in-depth analysis of existing automated writing tools and platforms is presented, evaluating their strengths and limitations. The article compares popular algorithms and discusses their applicability to diverse scientific domains. Moreover, it sheds light on the potential for collaboration between human researchers and algorithms, presenting a symbiotic model that harnesses the strengths of both.
 The article concludes with a forward-looking perspective, envisioning the future implications of algorithmization in scientific publication writing. It discusses potential advancements, challenges, and the evolving role of researchers in an era where algorithms contribute significantly to the scholarly communication landscape.

On Romancing the Tomes: Popular Culture, Law and Feminism: A Public Conversation

ABSTRACT Emerita Professor Margaret Thornton's edited collection, Romancing the Tomes: Popular Culture, Law and Feminism was published in 2002, and grew out of the workshop Margaret organised under the auspices of the Humanities Research Centre at the Australian National University in 2000. In 2021 as part of the Institute of International Law and the Humanities (‘IILAH') Festival of Conversations Margaret spoke to Johanna Commins about the original workshop, the edited collection, and Margaret's reading of High Court Justice Ian Callinan’s first published novel, The Lawyer and the Libertine. The following edited conversation was held at Melbourne Law School in May 2023 and opened the workshop Romancing the Tomes 2.0: Feminism, Law and Popular Culture. It continued via email in early 2024.

Rendimiento diagnóstico de la escala BROC2ULIS-65 comparada con CURB-65 en pacientes hospitalizados por neumonía

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common and potentially fatal infectious diseases in daily practice. 40% of patients require admission to hospitalization and 5% of these require admission to the intensive care unit. MethodsA cross-sectional retrospective cohort study was carried out, of patients treated between 2018 and 2022 for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) at the Hospital Departamental San Antonio de Padua, including 241 patients in whom their mortality outcome was known. Statistical analysisThey were analyzed with the statistical package STATA 17.0, the BROC2ULIS-65 index was constructed and compared with the CURB-65 standard and lactate for the measurement of CAP severity. Finally, an analysis of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ACOR) was performed, calculating a 95% confidence interval. The Helsinki ethical recommendations and resolution 8430 of 1993 for research in humans were followed, as well as the confidentiality and protection of data. ResultsOf the 241 patients included in the final analysis, 56.02% were male, 56.85% of the patients were older than 65years, with a mean age of 65.65years (16.84), the minimum of 20years and the maximum of 96years. Both risk scores (BROC2ULIS-65 and CURB-65) showed statistically significant differences with P=.001 between patients with CAP who died and those who did not. After performing a Spearman correlation test, it was found that there was a significant linear correlation (P=.001) between the BROC2ULIS-65 value and the CURB-65. The BROC2ULIS-65 score equal to or greater than6 correctly classified 70.54% of patients with a specificity of 87.79% and a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 2.25. ConclusionsThe BROC2ULIS-65 scale with a score greater than or equal to6 correctly classified 70.54% of the patients with a specificity of 87.79% and a LR+ of 2.25; with AUC 0.638 compared to 0.635 of the CURB-65, respectively.

Undergraduate Research and the Academic Librarian: Case Studies and Best Practices, Volume 2

Undergraduate Research & The Academic Librarian: Case Studies and Best Practices, Volume 2, coedited by Merinda Kaye Hensley, Hailley Fargo, and Stephanie Davis-Kahl, offers essential insights into the pivotal role of academic librarians in nurturing undergraduate research. With a wealth of case studies and best practices, this volume serves as a vital resource for librarians seeking to deepen their engagement with undergraduate researchers. Covering diverse topics such as co-teaching, fostering research in humanities and social sciences, student-faculty-librarian collaboration, and information literacy, the book provides comprehensive guidance for enhancing support for undergraduate research initiatives.

Inclusive inquiry: a compassionate journey in trauma-informed qualitative research with GBV survivors from displaced communities.

The integration of trauma-informed and ethical frameworks in qualitative research concerning survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) within displaced communities is critical. These individuals often bear the weight of traumatic experiences compounded by displacement and associated hardships. Adopting a trauma-informed approach establishes a safe environment, prioritizing survivors' well-being and respecting their agency and narratives, thereby fostering trust and reducing re-traumatization risks. Ethical considerations ensure the dignity, rights, and cultural sensitivities of participants are upheld, contributing to rigorous and humane research. This integration amplifies survivors' voices and experiences, enhancing understanding and empathy. Trauma-informed approaches acknowledge the likelihood of trauma in individuals' lives and prioritize safety without aiming to treat symptoms. Proficient interviewing skills aim to improve comfort, safety, and recall without avoiding challenging questions. Integration of trauma-informed principles across all interview phases is crucial, particularly for individuals experiencing various traumas simultaneously, such as displacement, violence, and ongoing conflict. Drawing from the authors' experiences and existing literature, this paper advocates for a compassionate and empowering shift in qualitative research methodologies to better engage with survivors of trauma and GBV within displaced communities.

Automation and machine learning augmented by large language models in a catalysis study.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence and automation are transforming catalyst discovery and design from traditional trial-and-error manual mode into intelligent, high-throughput digital methodologies. This transformation is driven by four key components, including high-throughput information extraction, automated robotic experimentation, real-time feedback for iterative optimization, and interpretable machine learning for generating new knowledge. These innovations have given rise to the development of self-driving labs and significantly accelerated materials research. Over the past two years, the emergence of large language models (LLMs) has added a new dimension to this field, providing unprecedented flexibility in information integration, decision-making, and interacting with human researchers. This review explores how LLMs are reshaping catalyst design, heralding a revolutionary change in the fields.

The UK research ethics committee: Making the case for better serving the underserved – can we do better?

Research ethics committees exist internationally to review research proposals to protect the rights and safety of human participants and researchers involved in research. These committees recruit a panel of expert and lay members, mostly on an unpaid voluntary basis, with relevant scientific experience to appraise these studies. Contemporary data in the UK show that women and people over 55 years old are overrepresented in these committee panels in the Health Research Authority, suggesting that there are potential barriers to inclusivity and participation. A variety of global approaches to tackle these barriers include targeting specific populations, such as faith or community leaders, or implementing quotas have been adopted. Further research is needed to understand likely barriers preventing participation in research ethics committees in the UK and how they may be overcome.

The Use of Forensic Evidences in Investigations and Prosecution in International Criminal Proceedings. Case Study of International Criminal Court (ICC)

From 1990s, a rising number of international and hybrid criminal tribunals and since 2002, the International Criminal Court have conducted various investigations on international crimes including crime against humanity, genocide and war crimes in various countries worldwide. These judicial organs have repeatedly relied upon witness’s testimonies, information and assistance from a wide variety of sources including governments, journalists, peacekeepers, human rights researchers and intelligence specialists and few forensic scientists, wherein some of these information and reports were driven by politics. Even though such information were very benefitting “there have also been many mishaps, misunderstandings in terms of differentiating information and evidence and missed opportunities in view of finding out the truth in way that information that could potentially have been of great use to criminal cases was lost or was collected or preserved in a manner that made it unusable at trial.” In today’s era, where there is a remarkable technological development in forensic science, it is time to use forensic methods in investigation of international crimes since a number of scientific and technological advances have improved the ability to document large-scale crimes with efficiency and precision. Yet, only in recent years have international criminal courts and other fact-finding institutions begun to embrace these innovations. There is a need of forensic science in investigating and prosecuting offenders of atrocities than traditional use of testimonies which are not easy to be relied on but still some legal and administrative issues still hinder the successful use of forensic evidences in investigating and prosecuting in international criminal proceedings. The present research focused on the practical use of forensic evidences like; pathology and DNA in exhumation of mass grave for determination of cause, manner and mechanism of death but to locate, excavate and exhume mass graves to produce forensic evidences of atrocities and to returning victims to loved ones and also discussed as tools for justice, humanitarian and documentation.The research also revealed the problems which are not only limited to the legal challenges of insufficiency of forensic evidence admissibility regulations and their maintenance of chain of custody, but also there are administrative issues like, lack of fund to be used during forensic investigation activities including, crime scene examination, collection of evidence and laboratory International Journal of Forensic Sciences 2 Thierry MB and Fred K. The Use of Forensic Evidences in Investigations and Prosecution in International Criminal Proceedings. Case Study of International Criminal Court (ICC). Int J Forens Sci 2024, 9(2): 000380. Copyright© Thierry MB and Fred K. examination of forensic evidence and all these can lead to unnecessary complications and prolongation criminal proceedings in international criminal court hence breach of fair trial principle. Finally, the research proposed reforms by establishing specific regulations related to the admissibility of forensic evidences in international criminal proceedings and chain of custody of forensic evidences as well as harmonizing the standard operating procedure of forensic investigation to regulate scientific investigation activities including, Crime Scene Management, Evidence Collection, Examination of forensic evidences and forensic expert report writing in investigation and prosecution of international criminal proceeding and also detailed mandate to solve administrative issues.

Ethical Considerations for Open-Source Investigations into International Crimes

Over the past decade, the field of digital open-source investigations has both expanded and matured. Open source investigations rely on information that anyone can access from the Internet, and have been increasingly deployed by legal investigators, human rights researchers, and journalists. The investigatory methods include Boolean searches; sourcing videos, photographs, and other data from social media; determining locations of events by comparing photos and videos to satellite images; mining the deep web for government records; determining time of day by analyzing shadows in photos; and more. In this essay, I argue that digital open-source investigators can (and should) rely on a three-step process when faced with an investigations-related dilemma: (1) identifying what the law says they can or cannot do according to their professional identity, intended purpose, and relevant jurisdiction; (2) soliciting guidance from their professional code of ethics (if they have one); and (3) weighing their options against the values of safety, accuracy, and dignity. Given space constraints and prior coverage of the first two steps, I focus here on step three. The values of safety, accuracy, and dignity arguably apply to all open-source investigations and investigators, regardless of jurisdiction or professional identity, and their application reflects a relatively novel attempt to help set ethics-based boundaries around investigation-related activities.

Current status of humanistic research on sustainable indoor environment design

Current status of humanistic research on sustainable indoor environment design

Visualising Heritage: using 3D immersive technologies to innovate, document and communicate rich narratives for HS2

The University of Bradford has established wide-ranging skillsets and capabilities as Visualising Heritage that have been built around expertise with 3D imaging for human bioarchaeology and for contextual understanding of archaeological sites, landscapes, heritage structures and associated artefacts. This paper reflects upon how these have been put to use during enabling works for HS2 and also the potential of this work for analysis, public engagement and legacy. The main focus of this paper covers 3D digital documentation of the world's first railway roundhouse designed by Robert Stephenson at Birmingham Curzon Street, together with immersive content that helps to tell the story of its discovery and exposure. We discuss 3D modelling that helps to link both to the original architectural drawings and to the broader narratives for understanding changes to the design of the building during its working life. We also contextualise its place within the historic environment relative to the Principal Building – the original Curzon Street terminus for the London and Birmingham Railway, the Eagle and Tun public house and the former Park Street Cemetery. As HS2 embarks upon the post-excavation phase, we also discuss the potential that recent investment from the Arts and Humanities Research Council in 'Capabilities for Human Bioarchaeology and Digital Collections' offers, building upon our pioneering 3D work at the object scale with 'Digitised Diseases', to bring within reach the potential for high throughput digital capture. This streamlines high fidelity 3D capture for key human bioarchaeology exemplars as legacy assets that would otherwise be lost to future study as they are destined for reburial.

A case study of incorporating digital technologies into audio-visual-oral English teaching in the context of digital humanities

Digital humanities is an interdisciplinary field as well as a set of methods and approaches that combine computational methods with humanistic inquiry. While discussions about the digital transformation of education have become more intense due to the increasing impact of digital technologies, there is still a need to explore the practice of integrating these technologies with audio-visual-oral English teaching. This article starts from the three characteristics of digital humanities research and moves on to document a three-year-long integration of digital technologies into audio-visual-oral English teaching, with emphasis on building online education infrastructure, deepening technology integration guided by the SAMR Model, and incorporating contests into formal learning. It emphasizes that the incorporation of digital technologies not only brings about significant changes in teaching philosophy, content, methods, and evaluation but also fosters the development of a new type of teacher-student relationship as teachers’ role evolves from simply “teaching and problem-solving” to placing greater emphasis on “guiding and mentoring”.

‘Constants’ and ‘variables’ of digitalized education

Introduction. The article examines the problem of informatization of a globalized society. The purpose of the study is to summarize the ideas about the ‘constants’ and ‘variables’ of modern university education as a self–organizing system actively involved in the processes of digitalization. Materials and Methods. In order to achieve the research aim, a thematic review of Russian and international studies on the issues of informatization of a globalized society has been conducted. The study involved a comparison of alternative points of view reflected in the works by B. Readings, P. Cramer, etc. The analysis of existing theories of the information society has been carried out. Results. Reviewing the results of Russian and international studies has shown that the world picture today is structured predominantly by the modern media, while most globalizing trends are becoming less and less manageable. The history of philosophy frequently addresses the problem analysis of such paradigmatic shifts which arise implicitly and take shape in emergence. The article discloses the authors’ understanding of ‘constants’ and ‘variables’ in contemporary university education as a self-organizing system that is rapidly undergoing an intensive process of digitalization. A traditional European university typically demonstrates its ‘aura of age’. The questions are: ‘To what extent is the structure of consciousness influenced by the development of digital resources and by outsourcing the functions of academic word and of individual memory to external digital data media?’; ‘To what degree can production of university knowledge act as an intellectual practice and determine the independence of thinking?’ The problem of establishing the topic of academic engagement and interaction in online formats is considered to be debatable. The authors show that today individuals as subjects of cognitive activities find themselves in a situation where they face value choices, which, in their turn, determine the prospects and the potential of cultural development. Mnemonic operations are to longer perceived as the art of memory. This problem attains special significance during the process of building humanitarian education within the system of electronic communication. One cannot claim categorically that individuals cease to think structurally when they relay the function of storing information to digitized sign systems as a universal resource. Conclusions. The conducted research allowed the authors to conclude that the development of digital technologies as a means of fulfilling social interests means positioning the idea of ‘digital equality’ as the main social asset. This has stimulated establishing cardinally new directions in humanities research. At the same time, the need in relevant and timely connections between the concepts of infogenesis and semiosis is seen today as one of the most current issues in world paradigm problems.

Între așteptări și nedumeriri: Oliver Jens Schmitt, Biserica de stat sau Biserica în stat?

Much more than a mere book review, the following article critically presents Oliver Jens Schmitt’s recently published monograph and, starting from it, a heated polemic concerning the history and historiography of the Romanian Orthodox Church during the last century. Generous references to primary and secondary sources of the topic are suggested to the author of the reviewed book. Moreover, the reviewer also makes valuable considerations regarding the ethics and deontology of research in social sciences and humanities, the methods used by historians in general, and by church historians in particular. This elegantly written and scientifically based book review turns into a worthy model to follow in further cases of coping with ideologically marked pseudo-scientific approaches.

Innovative insight: ChatGPT's contribution to advanced health research articles

The current technological advancement follows a pattern of both disruptive and gradual changes. The field of communication is currently the most extensively utilized technology. The rapid development of AI has enabled those without a background in computer coding or specialized health knowledge to utilize this technology, which gives rise to numerous issues. This phenomenon elicits curiosity and engenders debate among the general public, scholars, healthcare providers, and researchers in the health industry. Utilizing AI in the composition of scientific publications necessitates explicit norms and regulations, a robust validation procedure, and effective collaboration between AI systems and human expertise. Ensuring transparency and acknowledgment of AI usage is crucial to maintaining human researchers' accountability for the ultimate outcomes of their research.