Academic Literature Research Articles

Boundary-work of genomic medicine: safeguarding the future of diagnostic next-generation sequencing in the clinic

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies – which allows to look at large parts or even the whole genome at once - are making their way into diagnostic clinical care. With trends towards ‘mainstreaming’ genetic services into general medicine, significant ethical challenges, and a disputed clinical utility and cost-benefit ratio, genomic medicine’s autonomy and dominance in defining and offering NGS care may come under increased pressure from the outside (e.g., regulators, other healthcare providers and facilities, ethicists, and patients). In this paper, we show how the field of genomic medicine engages in substantial boundary work in reaction to these circumstances. Building on multi-sited fieldwork in two centres for human genetics in Belgium and the Netherlands, we show how acts of demarcation serve to uphold an image of expertise and authority which helps to maintain the field’s autonomy and dominance. Through examining the delineations put forward in interviews, practice (based on observations in multidisciplinary meetings and consultations), and grey and academic literature, we show the politics involved in moving NGS forward fairly seamlessly in a way that suits the field. First, we show how genetic healthcare professionals have redefined what makes a genetic test ‘valuable’ so that it underlines its current value. Secondly, we examine how a genetic imaginary is put forward that both emphasizes the extraordinary character of genomic medicine and the normalcy of NGS testing. By underlining the need for their expertise whilst simultaneously normalizing the ethical challenges and positioning themselves as most capable of reflecting on these, the field minimized external regulation and kept a close grip on defining ethical issues and policy. Despite their current dominance in shaping the future of genomic care, we argue that the closedness of the field hinders it in benefiting from external expertise, reflection and monitoring to ensure enduring and broad support for this future.

Rethinking the Overwork Culture: Practical Strategies for Creating Sustainable Change

This article provides organizational leaders seeking to disrupt entrenched cultures of overwork with practical strategies drawn from academic literature and consulting experiences. It explores key drivers of overwork at both the organizational level, such as a lack of boundaries between work and personal time, perceptions of overwork as a requirement, pressure from leadership, and lack of alternative policies, and at the societal level. Concrete steps are then outlined for establishing sustainable change, like setting clear boundaries on availability and working hours, empowering employees with flexible arrangements, disconnecting from technology after hours, shifting perceptions of productivity away from face time, increasing transparency from leadership, and building in recovery periods. Case studies from Buffer and Mailchimp demonstrate success. The article advocates a holistic, systems-level approach led by committed executives to alter cultural norms and mindsets over the long run through fostering autonomy, flexibility and trust in order to enhance both performance and well-being. Leaders are encouraged to customize strategies to their contexts while continuously measuring impact and refining approaches, with the ultimate goal of empowering employees to bring their full selves each day.

Planetary Health Booms: Unpacking the Surge in Research Across the Globe Through Joint-Point Analysis.

Planetary Health (PH) is a relatively new field that studies the sciences behind the interaction between the environment, living organisms, and human health. The number of publications in this field has increased exponentially in the past few years. This study analyzed the trend of using the term "PH" in literature. We searched PubMed for all publications (APP) and those mentioning Planetary Health (APmPH) without limitations on text availability, dates, or species. The publication trend was estimated using the average annual percent change (AAPC). Joinpoint Regression Program 4.9.1.0 identified periods with statistically distinct log-linear trends in publication numbers over time. Bonferroni adjustment determined significant trend shifts. The time frame of the retrieved APP and APmPH results ranged from 2002 to 2022 with a publication boom since 2017. The most common study designs were reviews, followed by comments and editorials. The APP, APmPH, and the proportion of APmPH to APP steadily increased from 2002 to 2022, with an AAPC of 6.0% (95% CI: 4.4%-7.6%, p<0.001), 35.7 (95% CI: 21.3%-51.9%, p<0.001), and 28.1% (95% CI: 15.2-42.5, p<0.001), respectively. The term "PH" is increasingly prominent in academic literature, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary efforts. Its growing usage also highlights the need for recognition in Medical Subject Headings by the National Library of Medicine.

Making pathologists ready for the new AI era: changes in required competencies.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in developing and using artificial intelligence (AI) models in pathology. While pathologists generally have a positive attitude towards AI, they report a lack of knowledge and skills regarding how to use it in practice. Furthermore, it remains unclear what skills pathologists would require to use AI adequately and responsibly. Yet adequate training of (future) pathologists is essential for successful AI use in pathology. In this paper, we assess which entrustable professional activities (EPAs) and associated competencies pathologists should acquire in order to use AI in their daily practice. We make use of available academic literature, including literature in radiology, another image-based discipline, which is currently more advanced in terms of AI development and implementation. Although microscopy evaluation and reporting could be transferrable to AI in the future, most of the current pathologist EPAs and competencies will likely remain relevant when using AI techniques and interpreting and communicating results for individual patient cases. In addition, new competencies related to technology evaluation and implementation will likely be necessary, and knowing one's own strengths and limitations in human-AI interaction. Because current EPAs do not sufficiently address the need to train pathologists in developing expertise related to technology evaluation and implementation, we propose a new EPA to enable pathology training programs to make pathologists fit for the new AI era "using AI in diagnostic pathology practice" and outline its associated competencies.

Development, validation, and application of a South African Dietary Polyphenol Data Quality Assessment Tool

There is a wealth of South African scientific literature studying and reporting on dietary polyphenols in research articles and academic literature. The evaluation of data quality is critical to ensure polyphenol data compiled from various scientific journals and academic texts are acceptable in terms of compilation standards. This study aimed to develop, validate, and apply a country specific South African dietary polyphenol data quality assessment tool (SADPDQAT). The evaluation tool considered nine evaluation categories with a maximum score of 5. For each literature source assessed, a quality score and confidence code was assigned. Validation analysis revealed generally consistent results between raters with an average percentage agreement of 65%, no scores falling outside of Bland-Altman limits of agreement and a moderate internal consistency α = 0.533 which was improved to 0.616. Applying the tool to 383 scientific studies showed that most literature obtained a quality score between 70 – 79% resulting in a confidence code of “B” (n= 166, 43%) and a score between 60 – 69% resulting in a confidence code of “C” (n =125, 33%). The SADPDQAT can be used to evaluate a variety of dietary polyphenol containing literature and aids in setting priorities for further research in this area.

Making the state care: the role of political willingness and brokerage in Bogota’s new feminist care policy

This article examines the crucial role of political willingness and brokerage in the implementation of Bogotá's new feminist care policy, the ‘System of Care', which aims to address gender and class inequalities and alleviate care burdens on women. Through a combination of ethnographic data and stakeholder interviews, we analyze the intricate political and social processes that underpin the policy's effectiveness. Drawing on academic literature about care work, policy implementation in weak states, and brokerage, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the policy's development and operation, from the inception of the System of Care to its day-to-day functionality within the local Care Blocks. Our findings underscore the significance of political willingness and brokerage at the macro level, along with the importance of debureaucratization and trust-building at the micro level, as key factors contributing to the policy’s success. Yet, the policy innovation also faces several challenges, primarily political uncertainties and the risk of burnout among local Care Block coordinators.

Bibliometric analysis of scholarly publications related to family medicine in Thailand

BackgroundFamily medicine has been recognized as a medical specialty in Thailand. However, there is a lack of information about scholarly publications. Bibliometric analysis is a valuable methodology for identifying research trends and knowledge gaps in this field. This study aims to analyze scholarly publications related to family medicine in Thailand. MethodThis bibliometric analysis was conducted based on the PubMed search in March 2023. All relevant literature related to 'family medicine' and 'Thailand' was retrieved. Performance analysis examined the publication trends from 1963 to 2023, the top 10 journals publishing relevant articles, and the number of publications by research areas. Science mapping depicted clusters of co-occurring author keywords, their relationships, and the research themes' trend over two decades. ResultsA total of 1,483 publications were retrieved. The number of publications showed an upward trend, increasing from 61 before 2000 to 359 in 2020. The Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand was the leading journal, publishing 267 articles (18.0%). Research areas were categorized into Basic Knowledge (n=211), Clinical Problem Solving (n=714), Health Service (n=256), Health System (n=254), and Medical Education (n=48). Science mapping identified six clusters based on 106 co-occurrence keywords, including public health, health services, medical issues in older adults, healthcare access, epidemiology, and others. Research themes have shifted from infectious diseases and public health to primary care and non-communicable diseases. ConclusionFuture research should focus more on implementation at a population level and healthcare system, with more investigation into geriatric care and child and maternal health.

Irish Studies, the West and the Rest: Thinking Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Publications

Irish Studies, the West and the Rest: Thinking Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Publications

Impact of virtual consultations on quality of care in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and narrative synthesis protocol.

Around 463 million people globally have diabetes, of which over 90% have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Projections indicate an expected increase to 700 million by 2045. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital health uptake, establishing virtual consultations as a feasible alternative to traditional in-person care. Despite promising preliminary evidence, a comprehensive review is needed to fully assess the impact of virtual consultations on diabetes care. This review aims to systematically evaluate the impact of remote consultations on the quality of care provided to persons with T2D, by mapping impacts against the six quality domains outlined by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) (ie, patient-centeredness, effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness, equity and safety). PubMed/MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), COCHRANE Library, EMBASE (Excerpta Medica Database), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) and Web of Science will be searched for studies published between 2010 and 2024. Primary outcomes will include any quality measures pertaining to the NAM domains for adult patients accessing virtual consultations. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool will be used to assess the quality of the randomised studies, and the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions will be used for non-randomised studies. The findings will be summarised as a narrative synthesis. This systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on 15 November 2023 (registration number: CRD42023474219). This review will not include primary data and therefore does not require ethical approval. This protocol complies with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidelines. Findings will be disseminated as academic publications and conference presentations and summarised into patient-led lay summaries.

Contact person intervention in Nordic countries: A comparative integrative review

In Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, the contact person intervention (CPI) is declared for children and youth in national legislation. The CPI is based on a relationship between the child and a volunteer adult who provides support to the child in need in different life situations. In this review, we summarise how the CPI within child welfare services has been studied and defined in four Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark). The aim is to present an overview of research-based knowledge on the intervention in the Nordic countries. A thorough integrative literature review for the period January 2010 to September 2022 produced 16 scientific publications. There were no academic publications available for Denmark during this period. The review focused on research carried out in Sweden (10 publications), Finland (5), and Norway (1). All studies on the CPI are descriptive and explorative and mainly focus on tracing the historical background of the intervention. The practice of working with contact persons would benefit from research looking at the content and effectiveness of the service. More systematic national and cross-national research is needed to strengthen the knowledge base of the intervention.

Bibliometric analysis of the usage of tenecteplase for stroke

IntroductionIn recent years, tenecteplase has been competing with alteplase as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke given its ease of administration, lower dosage, cost-effectiveness, and better safety data. This paper seeks to analyze academic literature regarding the burgeoning usage of tenecteplase as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke across the world.MethodThe Web of Science database was used to collect the data from articles containing the keywords “Tenecteplase” and “Stroke” published from 1999 to 2023. The search resulted in 576 journal articles. This study analyzed metadata related to the country, institution, keywords, and date published for each article in the database pertaining to tenecteplase use for stroke.ResultsThe United States led in publications (260, 39.93%), followed by Australia (101, 15.51%), and a tie for third place between Canada and China (77, 11.83% each). The three most prevalent keywords were tenecteplase (N = 324), alteplase (N = 284), and thrombolysis (N = 244). The University of Melbourne and the University of Calgary were the leading institutions publishing on the use of tenecteplase as a treatment for stroke. In 2023, the number of publications on the usage of tenecteplase for stroke was the greatest, making up 24.3% of all papers on the topic.ConclusionThe surge in academic papers regarding tenecteplase in stroke in 2023 could be a good indicator of the drug’s increasing prevalence as a treatment for stroke. Despite this finding, tenecteplase is currently not an FDA-approved therapy in the US as Genentech, the drug’s manufacturer, has yet to file for federal approval for acute ischemic stroke treatment.

Study of the Framework and Attributes of Ethical Standards in Journalism

It has always been difficult to create fair evaluation criteria for journalists, especially when it comes to judging morality and ethical conduct in news reporting. These guidelines function as yardsticks for gauging the ethics of news topics and the objectivity of journalistic techniques. These criteria are becoming more and more difficult as journalism changes, especially in the digital age. Fostering ethical journalism requires an understanding of its categorization and internal structure. This analysis employs a conceptual framework to explore the evaluation standards of news ethics. The method involves: Literature Review: Examining existing academic literature, ethical codes, and industry guidelines to outline the prevailing evaluation standards in journalism. Thematic Analysis: Identifying and categorizing the components of evaluation standards into normative and quality standards, assessing their relevance to different aspects of journalistic practice. Case Studies: Analyzing specific instances where journalistic ethics were put to the test, allowing for a practical understanding of how these standards function in real-world scenarios. The primary objective of this study is to clarify the internal structure of journalistic ethics evaluation standards and highlight the distinctions between normative and quality standards. By doing so, the analysis aims to provide insights into how these standards can be effectively applied to evaluate news behaviors and moral character in journalism. What is deemed ethical in one context may not hold the same weight in another. This relativity underscores the importance of understanding the specific circumstances surrounding journalistic practices. Historical Context: The evolution of journalistic ethics is tied to historical events and societal changes. Standards that once sufficed may need reevaluation to address contemporary challenges, particularly with the rise of digital media and misinformation. Complex Internal Structure: The internal structure of evaluation standards can be multi-layered, with different levels of criteria applied depending on the context and specific ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. This complexity requires continuous dialogue and adjustment as new ethical challenges arise. Practical Implications: Journalists and media organizations must engage with these standards actively, incorporating them into training and policy development. By fostering an understanding of both normative and quality standards, the industry can promote a more ethical and accountable journalism practice.

Cooperation or Collaboration: Which Really Drives the Employee Experience?

Abstract: This article explores the key differences between cooperation and collaboration and their relative impacts on employee experience in today's workplace. Through a review of relevant academic literature and examples from management consulting experiences, cooperation is defined as the coordination of individual efforts without shared ownership, most effective for routine tasks. Collaboration is characterized as a collective process requiring interdependent work, shared goals and outcomes, and trust—critical for complex problem-solving. The article argues that true collaboration cultivates more meaningful work, autonomy, social support, continuous learning and organizational commitment among employees. It maintains fostering collaborative ways of working through intentional cultural changes can unlock higher engagement, performance, innovation and retention compared to relying solely on cooperation. Practical recommendations are provided for organizations seeking to embed collaboration as a core value and operating practice.

Who Should Be Promoted to Management? Developing Promotion Criteria to Ensure Organizational Success

This article explores effective criteria and processes for promoting the right employees into management roles. Through a review of academic literature and insights from professional experience, key competencies for management success are identified, including technical skills, strategic thinking, interpersonal abilities, coaching talent, and change leadership. A multidimensional framework for defining and assessing these competencies is proposed. Best practices for cultivating a pipeline of future leaders through challenging assignments, training, sponsorship and accountability are also discussed. Case studies of Google and GE's systematic talent evaluation methodologies demonstrate research-based concepts in action. The article argues a multifaceted, evidence-driven approach anchored in competency modeling and integrated talent development optimize the alignment of personnel with organizational needs to ensure sustained excellence through strong leadership over time.

Finding Fulfillment: Leveraging Meaningful Feedback to Boost Worker Engagement

This article explores how organizations can design more meaningful feedback practices to boost employee engagement. Drawing on academic literature linking feedback and engagement, key drivers of the connection are identified, such as fulfilling psychological needs for competence and purpose. The brief then advocates shifting feedback focus from retrospective evaluations to forward-looking development centered on learning, growth opportunities, and stronger role alignment. Practical application examples across industries including healthcare, education, technology, and manufacturing demonstrate embedding feedback within organizational purpose and contextual priorities. Additional implementation strategies are offered, such as framing managers as coaches, emphasizing continual check-ins over annual reviews, rewarding continuous learning, and soliciting worker feedback. The conclusion asserts that by reframing routine feedback interactions to stimulate motivation, skills, and purpose-driven work, companies can transform this tool into a key lever for fostering enduring employee commitment, dedication, and fulfillment.

Decoding Scholarcy website: A Study on its Research Summarization Efficiency

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various facets of education, particularly the research domain. With the rapid growth of scholarly literature, the need for an efficient tool for summarization has become increasingly paramount. This study proposes a quantitative investigation into the efficiency of Scholarcy (www.scholarcy.com), an AI-powered summarizer used to aid researchers in summarizing academic literature. Thirty-five postgraduate students were involved in a survey research design. After five weeks of using Scholarcy, participants were asked to complete a survey questionnaire via their email addresses to give feedback on this tool. The results indicated a positive reception when postgraduates found this AI summarizer convenient and useful for reading academic papers. On the other hand, the participants identified several drawbacks when using it including concerns about summary quality, the absence of a mobile application, and high cost, along with suggestions for further application. With the highlights of both benefits and limitations, the study hopes to contribute valuable insights into the development of AI-powered summarization tools in the future.

HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND REFUGEES' WELFARE

The extraordinary magnitude of population displacement, stemming from conflict, persecution, and natural disasters, has exerted significant strain on international organizations, governments, and civil society. Humanitarian interventions, involving various actions undertaken by these entities, are essential in supplying refugees with vital resources, protective measures, and possibilities to endure and reconstruct their lives. This study thoroughly evaluates the influence of humanitarian interventions on refugee welfare, investigating their roles and impacts, addressing their challenges and triumphs, and offering policy recommendations to enhance refugee welfare through more effective humanitarian initiatives. The research design is qualitative, employing secondary data sources including scholarly publications, policy documents, and reports from international organizations and NGOs. Data and visualizations from Our World in Data were utilized to examine trends and patterns in refugee welfare, encompassing access to fundamental requirements, protection, healthcare, education, livelihoods, and psychosocial assistance. The results underscore the substantial influence of humanitarian efforts on refugee well-being, as demonstrated by the examination of the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises. The graphical representation depicts the significant spike in asylum applicants resulting from these crises and the extent of dislocation experienced by impacted populations. The study highlights the necessity of ongoing and extensive humanitarian aid to meet the varied requirements of refugees, encompassing shelter, nutrition, healthcare, psychosocial support, and protection. The study indicates that humanitarian interventions are essential for improving refugee welfare; nonetheless, hurdles remain, including resource limitations, coordination difficulties, and the necessity to transition from short-term relief to long-term development. Recommendations encompass enhancing global alliances, ensuring equitable burden-sharing, integrating long-term development goals, refining legislative frameworks, prioritizing vulnerable populations, and investigating novel finance options.

Content as a Service fostering knowledge sharing amongst universities and communities: A bibliometric review

Rationale of Study – This article explores how Content as a Service (CaaS) catalyses knowledge sharing across various contexts, particularly between universities and their communities.Methodology – The study used bibliometric analysis, a quantitative methodology, to examine academic publications related to CaaS and its role in fostering knowledge sharing. A comprehensive search on the Web of Science database identified 1,044 relevant publications. The data were analysed using Bibliometrix with R programming.Findings – CaaS is a multidisciplinary domain encompassing computer science, information science, business, and healthcare. It democratises information access and enhances economic benefits through subscription models. Notably, there has been a surge in CaaS-related publications over the past decade, especially in the USA, highlighting the need to investigate CaaS as a knowledge-sharing paradigm. However, a significant gap remains in the literature from Africa, limiting insights into how local contexts can influence knowledge sharing in higher education through CaaS.Implications – CaaS can improve information accessibility, collaboration, discoverability, and cost-effectiveness through shared resources.Originality – Given Zimbabwe's contextual nuance, this study is among the pioneering research investigating CaaS as a knowledge-sharing paradigm.

A literature review on corporate governance and ESG research: Emerging trends and future directions

Extant research emphasizes that corporate governance (CG) significantly influences environmental, social, and governance (ESG) outcomes. This paper undertakes a content analysis and reviews 91 academic articles published in 41 journals over the past 14 years (2010-2023). We examine the role of CG in ESG outcomes by focusing on CG themes, ESG indicators, theories, countries, and empirical methodologies used to address endogeneity. The findings show that several factors collectively impact ESG outcomes positively. Such factors include female directors, institutional investors, independent directors, CEO characteristics, directors' compensation, and sustainability committees. Relatedly, the findings also suggest that family ownership may potentially exert a detrimental effect on ESG performance. Despite the burgeoning evidence on CG and ESG outcomes, we highlight several understudied areas, such as directors' ESG expertise in specific ESG-related sectors and CEO tenure. Furthermore, we call for more research focusing on non-financial firms, particularly in European countries. Given the current studies' reliance on archival methodologies, we encourage future research to adopt diverse approaches, such as qualitative and mixed research methods. Finally, we discuss several research avenues, identify gaps in the literature, and outline a future research agenda.

Rural Industries and Their Role in the Development of Rural Areas and Afghanistan's National Economy

This study explores the role of rural industries in addressing these issues by examining their potential to improve economic conditions in rural areas and their contribution to the national economy. This study aims to examine the role of rural industries in the development of rural areas and their impact on Afghanistan's national economy. Additionally, it seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities for developing these industries and propose strategies for improving their current state. In this study, I aim to address the following questions: What role do rural industries play in the economic development of rural areas in Afghanistan? What are the major challenges to the development of rural industries in Afghanistan? And how can the potential of rural industries be harnessed to strengthen the national economy? This review study utilizes both analytical and descriptive approaches and relies on credible scientific sources and field data. The information collected includes academic articles, government reports, and statistical data related to rural industries in Afghanistan. Data analysis is conducted descriptively and analytically, focusing on the economic, social, and environmental impacts of rural industries. The findings indicate that the development of rural industries can significantly improve the economy of Afghanistan's rural areas. These industries, by creating employment opportunities, increasing income, and reducing poverty, play a key role in strengthening the national economy.