Access, Opportunity, and Transparency in Academic Publishing.

Preserving Scientific Integrity in Academic Publishing: Navigating Artificial Intelligence, Journal Policies, and the Impact Factor as a Quality Indicator.

The historical context of gender-affirming healthcare (GAH) in Morocco presents a paradox. While Casablanca emerged as a global hub for such medical procedures from the 1950s to the 1970s, access to care was not available to local Moroccan citizens. Currently, transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals experience what can be described as a "ban by silence." Although there is no explicit legal prohibition against GAH, its accessibility is effectively undermined by institutional neglect, inadequate medical education, and pervasive socio-religious biases among healthcare providers. This research aims to generate empirical evidence to inform advocacy and programming related to TGNC healthcare rights. This qualitative participatory action research study is grounded in in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 13 TGNC individuals who have sought GAH in Morocco. Participants were recruited in collaboration with a local transgender activist to foster trust within the community. A thematic analysis of the interviews was conducted to identify significant barriers and personal experiences related to accessing care. This analysis was further contextualized through a comparative review of informal care networks in Egypt and Lebanon. The findings indicate a complete absence of GAH within both the public and private healthcare sectors in Morocco. The healthcare environment is characterized by hostility, with inadequately trained providers often refusing care, attempting conversion therapy, or erroneously citing legal prohibitions. Consequently, participants are compelled to resort to unsafe, unregulated hormone therapies without medical oversight, such as the use of birth control pills. Systemic discrimination in education and employment results in considerable economic precarity, with many individuals engaging in survival sex work. Compounded by familial rejection and social stigma, these conditions render life in Morocco untenable, compelling migration as the sole viable option for safety and access to essential medical care. The legislative void in Morocco operates as a "ban by silence," a phenomenon that remains underrepresented in academic literature. This study seeks to address this gap by documenting the lived experiences of TGNC individuals navigating this de facto prohibition. The research advances a participant-led call for urgent reform, prioritizing three key areas: the establishment of legal and accessible pathways for medical transition; mandatory training for medical staff to eliminate discrimination; and the creation of affirming mental health services. Future research should continue to illuminate these invisible barriers to dismantle the systemic neglect that denies TGNC Moroccans their right to health. • Morocco’s ‘ban by silence’ effectively restricts healthcare access for transgender individuals. • State neglect forces TGNC people to seek care through unsafe and unregulated medical networks. • Providers often deny care by citing non-existent and inaccurate legal prohibitions. • Migration is seen as the only way to safely obtain essential medical care and safety.

In contemporary society, parents have become obsessive on achieving "perfection" in preparing their children to succeed in the competitive environment. However, the personal and inter-spousal relationships between parenting perfectionism and parental stress among Chinese couples over time have been largely overlooked in the academic literature. Additionally, the moderating effect of marital satisfaction on these relationships remains unclear. Based on a sample of 642 Chinese couples with adolescent children in Grades 7 and 8 at Time 1, Actor-Partner Interdependent Modeling (APIM) analyses were conducted to assess the patterns of father-mother interdependence in the associations of parenting perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) with parental stress over time, as well as the moderating role of marital satisfaction in the relationships. The findings indicated that mother-reported maladaptive parenting perfectionism was positively associated with both paternal and maternal stress over time. An actor-only pattern was identified in the association of maladaptive parenting perfectionism with maternal stress, whereas a partner-only pattern was observed in the relationship between maladaptive parenting perfectionism and paternal stress. Moreover, father-perceived marital satisfaction strengthened these associations. These results offer valuable insights for family scholars and practitioners, underscoring the importance of examining the effects of parenting perfectionism on parental well-being. This understanding is crucial for exploring the dynamics of parenthood in the modern era.

The maritime shipping sector, which accounts for 80% of global trade by volume, faces a significant challenge in decarbonising. This article examines the economic competitiveness of nuclear containerships, drawing on current industrial and academic literature on nuclear power integration in maritime shipping. First, we analyse the design and operational characteristics influenced by nuclear power adoption and identify key barriers to its deployment. Second, we develop a scenario-based model to assess the economic competitiveness of nuclear-powered containerships compared to conventional and alternative fuel systems, using the Levelised Cost of Transport as the primary metric. We show that nuclear power applied to containership propulsion may represent an economically competitive solution in specific scenarios characterised by high cruising speeds and favourable CAPEX for nuclear reactor engines. The learning process of building and operating nuclear containerships might play a key role in making this technological option economically viable at scale.

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a structured, evidence-based pedagogical method that has been increasingly embraced in medical education to foster essential clinical competencies such as observation, interpretation, communication and empathy. Originally developed for use in K-12 classrooms, VTS involves a standardised facilitation method centred on three carefully sequenced questions posed in response to a visual artwork. Although deceptively simple in format, effective facilitation of VTS requires extensive training and adherence to specific practices that activate collaborative and critical thinking processes. As interest in arts-based pedagogies grows in medical education, VTS stands out as a method with defined guidelines and demonstrable educational outcomes. However, this paper argues that the expanding adoption of VTS be accompanied by a commitment to fidelity-in how the method is implemented, studied and described in the academic literature. While an increasing number of medical educators are enthusiastically incorporating VTS into their curricula, the literature belies a concerning trend of deviations from the method's core components. These include altered wording of the three core questions, inconsistent naming of the method, facilitation by untrained individuals and inadequate or inaccurate methodological descriptions. Such deviations, even when subtle, can compromise the internal validity of research findings and risk misrepresenting the nature and effectiveness of the intervention. This lack of fidelity could threaten the integrity of educational outcomes and the credibility of arts-based approaches in the broader field of medical education. Compounding the issue, peer reviewers and journal editors may lack sufficient familiarity with VTS to identify these inaccuracies, enabling flawed implementations to persist in the literature. We contend that ensuring fidelity to the original VTS methodology is a shared responsibility across researchers, educators, institutions and scholarly publications. Adherence to the method maintains its pedagogical and scholarly value. To that end, we offer practical recommendations, such as formal VTS facilitator training (with greater accessibility to educators in low-resource settings), accurate reporting standards, peer reviewer education and the cultivation of a community of certified practitioners. As VTS continues to gain traction, we recommend that educators aim for fidelity in its use and study, ensuring that its full potential to enrich clinical education is realised and preserved for future generations of learners.

Sustainability indicators in the bicycle industry: Mapping evidence and exposing research gaps

Via Ferrata is a hybrid outdoor sport, pursued by recreationists and tourists, consisting of attributes of hiking, mountaineering, and rock climbing and facilitated by specialized equipment like harnesses and carabiners that can be fitted into permanent routes outfitted with features such as iron cables, stairs, ladders, and bridges. The growing popularity of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism during and after the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased interest in Via Ferrata, especially in North America. This growth presents unique destination, route, and sport development and planning opportunities and challenges for service providers, land managers, and professional mountaineering associations. These challenges are compounded by co-occurring global crises, such as climate change impacts on seasonal access to mountainous and high-altitude terrain. Despite this, Via Ferrata remains an understudied phenomenon, especially in North America, and is often explored within the context of mountaineering and other more generalised outdoor sport research, or from interdisciplinary, engineering, and medical perspectives. Based on a scoping review of the extant English-language academic and industry literature on Via Ferratas, including North American industry web materials and popular media coverage of the growing popularity of the sport in that region, this study: 1) catalogues how and where Via Ferrata research has been conducted, including regions studied and main research themes, 2) articulates academic perspectives on the emergence and establishment of Via Ferratas in Europe and industry, management, and popular media perspectives on the expansion of Via Ferrata to and within North America not documented in the extant academic literature, and 3) defines future avenues for global Via Ferrata research. Thematic analysis revealed that a unique field of Via Ferrata scholarship is needed to inform the continued development and management of the sport. The establishment of a Via Ferrata research agenda is therefore proposed, and theoretical and management implications are explored. Like the development of organized hybridized recreational activities (e.g., hiking and climbing) on popular mountain summits, Via Ferratas are facilitating access to formerly relatively inaccessible and sometimes, highly ecologically sensitive areas (i.e., mountains, canyons). Since Via Ferrata activities and in some instances the scholarship of this type of recreational activity has historically been entangled with other mountain and high-altitude outdoor sports, a greater understanding of the growth and transformation of this hybrid recreational activity through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and international scoping review of Via Ferrata is warranted. In-order to understand and better manage the anthropogenic impacts of this recreational activity, a Via Ferrata research agenda should explore among other themes, destination development and route planning, sport management, constraints to and outcomes of participation, and would benefit from industry-academy collaboration. • The unique equipment and route features of Via Ferrata make it distinct from hiking, mountaineering and rock climbing. • Via Ferrata scholarship is limited and has historically been entwined with other mountain and high-altitude outdoor sports. • To inform the continued development and management of the sport, a unique field of Via Ferrata scholarship is needed. • Research should explore destination development, route planning, sport and risk management, and constraints and outcomes.

Developing models of aged care that align with Māori aspirations has been identified as a national priority in a recent report by the New Zealand (NZ) Aged Care Commissioner. We aimed to identify key considerations useful for informing Māori aged care and to identify known gaps and proposed solutions, which could be prioritised in health and social service design, delivery and implementation, and for investigation in future research. We undertook a critical review of peer-reviewed academic and grey literature to identify relevant studies. Studies were grouped into three pre-defined areas: components and values of care models; physical spaces of care; and infrastructures of care. We included 45 articles that focussed on diverse areas including broad experiences of older age, quality of life and well-being, frailty, housing and aged residential care. Findings relating to care models highlighted the aspiration for holistic care models that supported maintaining independence and included meaningful activities. Connection to place and community was important within physical spaces of care and a cross-sectoral approach that allowed for connected and informed decision-making and appropriate resourcing was an important infrastructure consideration. By identifying relevant knowledge relating to models, physical spaces and infrastructures of care, this review provides an evidence base for future health and social service development and identifies gaps in knowledge, which require further research.

PHPM physicians practice at the intersection of medicine and public health. Medicine and public health approach the application of evidence to decision-making differently. It's unclear how PHPM specialists are trained to navigate between these approaches.

Characteristics and Effectiveness of Patient Navigation Programs on Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-Up Colonoscopy Uptake: A Systematic Review.

Academic publishing underpins surgical decision-making, but the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) raises concerns about research credibility and patient safety. To the best of our knowledge, no prior pilot study has examined its presence in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Detection tools remain imperfect, and journals lack consensus on disclosure policies, leaving a gap between rapid adoption and effective oversight. This pilot analysis sampled 10% (n=67) of articles published between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, across leading plastic and reconstructive surgery and burn journals. We assembled a matched control cohort from 2014 to 2015 using identical criteria. Articles were analyzed using a combined RoBERTa classifier and perplexity-based evaluation to flag potential AI-like textual characteristics. At the article level, 18 of 67 articles (26.9%, 95% CI: 17.7-38.5) contained ≥1 flagged section, with 20 subsections (5.3%, 95% CI: 3.5-8.1) flagged. Flagged content clustered in methods (9.1%) and abstracts (7.5%), with lower prevalence in other sections. In our control cohort, 3 papers (4.5%, 95% CI: 1.5-12.5) and 3 subsections were flagged (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.3-2.7), representing ~6-fold and 5-fold increases, respectively. This difference was statistically significant at the article level (χ²=11.1, P <0.001). AI-like textual characteristics were more frequently detected in contemporary plastic and reconstructive surgery publications than in the pre-AI cohort. Although detection does not confirm authorship, these findings underscore the need for clearer and more consistent disclosure, standardized and graded reporting policies, and reviewer training to enable responsible integration of AI into surgical publishing.

• K-means with GloVe embeddings yields the most semantically coherent clusters. • DBSCAN performs best for identifying outliers but underperforms in thematic clustering. • Embedding model selection has a stronger impact than algorithm choice on cluster quality. • GloVe is optimal for taxonomy development, while Wiki captures broader thematic patterns. This study conducts a comprehensive empirical evaluation of semantic clustering algorithms to identify the most effective approach for automatically organizing and extracting meaning from textual data. By systematically comparing the performance of K-means, K-medoids, and DBSCAN on word embeddings from GloVe and Wiki models, it provides data-driven insights for optimizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) pipelines in information management systems. The research suggests a practical framework for selecting clustering algorithms and embedding models based on specific operational objectives, such as document clustering, knowledge base construction, and content-based recommendation. The investigation employed a two-phase methodology. Initially, predefined word lists were transformed into numerical vectors using pre-trained GloVe and Wiki models. K-means, K-medoids, and DBSCAN algorithms were applied, with performance evaluated via Silhouette Score and Davies-Bouldin Index, complemented by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for visualization. Results were benchmarked against manually curated semantic groupings. Subsequently, the findings were validated on a large-scale corpus of 303 research articles to assess scalability and real-world applicability. Analysis indicates that, under the evaluated configurations, K-means combined with GloVe embeddings produced comparatively higher semantic coherence and more interpretable cluster structures than the alternative methods considered. K-medoids demonstrated robustness against outliers but yielded less compact groupings. While DBSCAN indicated effective for outlier identification, it consistently underperformed in forming semantically meaningful clusters. The GloVe model significantly outperformed Wiki embeddings in generating precise and interpretable clusters, whereas Wiki produced broader, less distinct groupings. Large-scale validation confirmed these results, with K-means successfully identifying dominant research themes, including digital library adoption (43.2%), reference services (15.2%), and research data management (8.9%)—in a corpus of academic literature. Under the evaluated corpus characteristics and parameter settings, DBSCAN classified most documents as outliers, indicating limited suitability for this specific balanced document collection. K-means and K-medoids emerge as comparatively effective algorithms under the evaluated conditions. The study underscores the critical influence of vector representation models, with GloVe embeddings providing superior semantic distinction compared to Wiki. These findings offer clear, actionable guidance for selecting clustering methods in NLP applications, highlighting the necessity of aligning algorithmic choice with specific dataset characteristics and information management goals. This research moves beyond theoretical descriptions by delivering a rigorous, empirical comparison that elucidates the crucial interaction between algorithm selection and embedding models for semantic tasks. The findings provide practitioners with a context-dependent decision matrix: K-means with GloVe is effective under the studied conditions for taxonomy development and thematic categorization, whereas DBSCAN is preferable for outlier detection in noisy data. By demonstrating that GloVe's global statistical approach yields more distinct clusters than Wiki's contextual model for this purpose, the study contributes a practical, evidence-based framework for enhancing semantic analysis in real-world information systems.

In the face of global population growth, climate volatility and mounting ecological pressures, agricultural science is shifting from traditional yield-centered paradigms toward integrated, sustainable development models. This study employs CiteSpace (version 6.1.5) to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1780 scholarly publications on agricultural science research from 2000 to 2024, drawn from both the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. By adopting a systematic process of article selection as represented by the PRISMA flowchart, the dataset was refined through rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure analytical robustness. CiteSpace, a powerful visualization and analysis tool, and VOSviewer were used to conduct keyword co-occurrence mapping, cluster analysis, temporal evolution modeling and institutional collaboration analysis. The results reveal three dominant global research themes: climate change adaptation, agricultural system resilience and technological innovation. Global trends augment precision agriculture, carbon management and digitalization. Chinese studies continue to focus on yield increment and improvement of principal crops, underlined by the growing application of smart agriculture, ecological administration and rural revitalization policies. Institutional research finds Jiangsu University to be an essential node in China's agricultural science network. By synthesizing cross-regional, bilingual datasets, this study offers new evidence for the converging but also diverging paths of agricultural research worldwide and in China. Such evidence is supportive of the use of evidence-based policy making, academic strategy and innovative agricultural reform in the context of sustainable development. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sustainability in the energy sector: A systematic literature review of energy transitions, technologies, and policy instruments

Fraud and improper payments across U.S. federal benefits programs impose substantial fiscal and social costs, with the Government Accountability Office estimating annual fraud-related losses of $233–521 billion and cumulative improper payments exceeding $2.7 trillion since fiscal year 2003. Traditional "pay-and-chase" recovery models have proven insufficient, prompting growing interest in preventive strategies that leverage cross-agency data fusion and predictive intelligence. This paper presents a qualitative comparative analysis of four dominant institutional and technical models used to integrate data and apply predictive analytics for fraud reduction: centralized federal data hubs, federated and privacy-preserving architectures, vendor-managed identity and fraud detection systems, and state-level or program-specific predictive analytics. Each model is evaluated against five criteria derived from federal oversight guidance and academic literature: legal and institutional authority, data governance and privacy protection, technical architecture and scalability, analytic effectiveness, and transparency and accountability. The analysis demonstrates that no single model adequately balances these competing demands. Centralized hubs offer statutory grounding but limited analytic flexibility; federated approaches strengthen privacy at the cost of governance complexity; vendor systems raise accountability concerns; and program-specific models lack cross-jurisdictional reach. The paper proposes a hybrid framework combining centralized authoritative checks, federated analytics for sensitive data, and program-level predictive modeling under unified governance with human-in-the-loop decision-making. Policy recommendations address statutory authorization, oversight structures, model validation, vendor accountability, and workforce capacity to support responsible, equitable, and scalable fraud prevention.

Western countries continue to demonstrate increased racism toward refugees, which manifests through discrimination, exclusion, and stigmatization in various social, institutional, and policy contexts. Research shows that racism adversely affects health, potentially undermining the psychosocial well-being of refugees. The objective of this review is to systematically examine and analyze the literature on the impact of racism on the psychosocial well-being of racialized refugees. What is the impact of racism on the psychosocial well-being of refugees? We systematically searched for published original articles across both academic and grey literature sources, employing a comprehensive set of pre-determined search-terms. We employed a two-step screening approach where two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full texts of selected articles. We then tabulated and extracted data from the final selection of articles. These were: characteristics (i.e., year of publication, country, research design), methods, racism construct, psychosocial well-being construct, and psychosocial outcomes of refugees. The initial search yielded 3,116 articles. After removing duplicates, 2,532 articles remained. we identified 2,448 articles after title and abstract screening, leaving 84 for full-text review. Twenty articles were identified for the final analysis. Sixteen of the 20 articles found an association between racism and mental health or psychosocial outcomes. Notably, eight of the articles focused on racism in the media. Four of the articles did not find an association between racism and mental health. Our analysis revealed that racism significantly impacts refugees' well-being across five domains: mental health (psychological distress, trauma responses), identity and belonging (self-concept erosion, diminished social cohesion), socioeconomic integration (employment barriers, educational challenges), healthcare access, and coping and resilience strategies. This review found several articles that focused on racism and its impact on refugee mental health. Crucially, several of the articles narrowed their focus to racism in the media. This finding emphasizes the importance of focusing on media-based racism and its impact on refugee psychosocial well-being.

ABSTRACT This study adopts a collaborative autoethnographic approach to explore how three Chinese doctoral students (re)constructed their researcher identities through scholarly publications during the pre-dissertation stage. Data collection primarily relies on prompt-based self-narrative journals, supplemented by visual artifacts (journey plots, social media posts, and e-mails). Drawing on the theory of doctoral student socialization, we reflect on our publishing as a socialization practice and the impact of supervision on researcher identity construction in global neoliberalism. Our findings reveal that, despite varied academic trajectories, our researcher identities have been positively shaped as independent scholars by the time we reach candidacy. We propose a researcher identity model to highlight that supervision in distinct academic cultures (United States vs. East Asia) and individual agency interact in shaping the development of researcher identities regarding publishing in neoliberal contexts. While supervision for publishing shapes our perceptions of being a researcher, agency plays a key role in socializing us into academic communities, where we undergo an identity transition from novice to professional researchers. This study offers pedagogical insights into doctoral publishing and supervision in cross-border education.

The rapid development of cellular communication technology demands networks with high capacity, low latency, and optimal service quality, particularly in urban areas with high user density. 5G networks have emerged as a solution to meet these demands by offering improved speed and network efficiency. However, the performance of 5G networks is still influenced by the number of users connected within a cell. The main parameters used to measure network quality include Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), and throughput. This study aims to analyze the effect of user density on these three parameters in 5G networks in urban areas. The research method used is a qualitative approach through a literature review by examining various relevant scientific journals, conference proceedings, and academic publications. Data collection was conducted through documentation study, while data analysis employed a descriptive qualitative method. The results show that user density has different impacts on each network parameter. RSRP tends to remain stable and is more influenced by environmental factors, while SINR decreases due to increased interference. Throughput is the most affected parameter due to the sharing of network resources. Overall, an increase in user density leads to a decline in the quality of 5G networks in urban areas.

Despite legal reforms aimed at preventing child marriage in Indonesia, the practice continues to persist due to legal, institutional, and socio-cultural factors. Although Law No. 16 of 2019 equalizes the minimum marriage age at nineteen for both men and women, the existence of marriage dispensations and normative inconsistencies with the Compilation of Islamic Law create challenges for effective prevention. This study aims to analyze the reform of marriage age regulation and child marriage prevention policies in Indonesia through the perspective of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, particularly the principle of Hifz al-nasl, which emphasizes the protection of lineage and the welfare of future generations. The research employs a normative juridical approach using doctrinal legal analysis through statutory and conceptual approaches. Primary legal materials consist of Marriage Law No. 1 of 1974, Law No. 16 of 2019, and the Compilation of Islamic Law, while secondary materials are derived from relevant academic literature. The findings indicate the minimum marriage age of nineteen is consistent with the principles of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, particularly hifẓ al-nasl, as a preventive instrument to protect lineage and the well-being of future generations, although its effectiveness depends on consistent implementation and the substantive maturity of prospective spouses. Therefore, strengthening legal harmonization, regulating the use of marriage dispensations, and integrating community-based prevention policies are necessary to ensure that the objectives of Hifz al-nasl are effectively realized in contemporary child marriage prevention strategies.