Traditional Research Research Articles

Faculty rewards from course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) in biochemistry.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) courses. These courses provide research opportunities for many more students than are typically exposed to traditional independent research experiences, including women, historically underrepresented groups in science, and non-traditional students. However, the benefits for faculty who teach CURE courses have been less well documented, potentially discouraging faculty from offering such courses. Reports describing the benefits faculty can accrue from developing and teaching CURE courses could incentivize more faculty to develop CURE courses. In this perspective article, we summarize the implementation of three biochemistry CURE courses, highlighting some of the benefits faculty may experience. We also propose some points to consider when designing CURE courses with realistic expectations for a semester-long research experience to provide a framework for instructors who are considering their own CURE development.

From keywords to key embeddings – contrasting French and Swedish web registers using multilingual deep learning

Abstract The pervasiveness of the internet has given web language use a central role in society. However, the lack of multilingual corpora and scalable methods has led to the focus on English in web language research. To address this gap, the present paper sets itself in the register research tradition and explores French and Swedish web registers from a cross-linguistic angle. Methodologically we combine keyword analysis with multilingual deep learning, suggesting an approach that enables computational comparisons across languages. Specifically, we extract keywords for French and Swedish web registers, then associate the keywords with fastText word embeddings, and finally, cluster these key embeddings. The findings indicate that there are topical and functional clusters, and they are linguistically motivated and multilingual. The same clusters occur within the same registers in both languages pointing to shared topical and functional similarities – the registers are strikingly similar. The dissimilarities, in contrast, indicate that certain registers like Narrative blogs are to some extent different in French and Swedish. Moreover, grammatical specificities such as the location of adjectives explain some dissimilarities.

Proposing critical realism and second-generation environmental justice for advancing sacrifice zone analysis

This article addresses the complex social-ecological challenges faced by sacrifice zones—territories subjected to severe environmental degradation and social injustices. Traditional environmental justice research, with its emphasis on distributive justice, often fails to capture the intricate dynamics of these often not-recognized areas. In light of these limitations, this article proposes a second-generation environmental justice approach, employing a critical realist paradigm, to identify sacrifice zones and explore their deeper causal mechanisms. This approach, which transcends the distributional focus of traditional research, reveals mechanisms commonly observed in these zones. These mechanisms enable and sustain environmental degradation and social injustices through dynamics such as economic exploitation, policy failures, and power imbalances. Intertwined within social-ecological systems, these dynamics create cycles of poverty, health disparities, and ecological harm. Moreover, the article offers a methodological reflection on the theoretical proposal and planning practices toward environmental justice. It concludes with recommendations for future research, emphasizing the importance of systemic change and inclusive policy-making to achieve environmental justice and sustainability.

AI-powered drug discovery for neglected diseases: accelerating public health solutions in the developing world.

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug discovery represents a transformative development in addressing neglected diseases, particularly in the context of the developing world. Neglected diseases, often overlooked by traditional pharmaceutical research due to limited commercial profitability, pose significant public health challenges in low- and middle-income countries. AI-powered drug discovery offers a promising solution by accelerating the identification of potential drug candidates, optimising the drug development process, and reducing the time and cost associated with bringing new treatments to market. However, while AI shows promise, many of its applications are still in their early stages and require human validation to ensure the accuracy and reliability of predictions. Additionally, AI models are limited by the availability of high-quality data, which is often sparse in regions where neglected diseases are most prevalent. This viewpoint explores the application of AI in drug discovery for neglected diseases, examining its current impact, related ethical considerations, and the broader implications for public health in the developing world. It also highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in this context, emphasising the need for ongoing research, ethical oversight, and collaboration between public health stakeholders to fully realise its potential in transforming global health outcomes.

Enabling Rational Electrolyte Design for Lithium Batteries through Precise Descriptors: Progress and Future Perspectives

The rational design of new electrolytes has become a hot topic in improving ion transport and chemical stability of lithium batteries in extreme conditions, particularly in cold environments. Traditional research...

Higher education students’ views of conducting traditional research projects under supervision

Higher education students’ views of conducting traditional research projects under supervision

Manufacturing and decorating cardial pottery: shell tools at the Neolithic site of Cabecicos Negros (Vera, Almeria, Spain)

Traditional research approaches on pottery production based on typological and morphometric classifications have changed in favour of new lines of research. One of them is based on the study of the technological equipment used in ceramic manufacturing processes. For example, ethnographic evidence shows the use of shell tools as technological equipment in different phases of ceramic production. In this study, the methodology of use-wear analysis has been applied to the archaeomalacological material from the Neolithic site of Cabecicos Negros (Andalusia, Spain) to establish if the shells were used as work tools. This analysis has been completed with the development of an experimental program composed of two analytical and one prospective experiments, carried out to provide new data about the cardial decorative technique and to define the use-wear traces that appear on the active area of the shells after their technological use. The results obtained in this investigation show the use of shells in different stages of pottery production. On the one hand, during the modelling and regularization phase of the ceramic surface and, on the other hand, during the cardial decorative phase. In this way, through this work, it has been possible to establish that the archaeological site of Cabecicos Negros was a pottery production center where domestic pieces were made during its Neolithic occupation. In addition, these findings reaffirm the importance of shells in ceramic manufacture during the Neolithic period, mainly in terms of the technical process linked to the cardial-type of ceramic decoration.

인공지능을 활용한 데이터 기반 가상 사용자를 활용한 참여적 디자인 연구 - 중국 피트니스 앱 KEEP을 중심으로

In the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in optimizing user experience and interaction design. This study proposes a method using artificial intelligence to create data-based virtual users and integrate these virtual users into the participatory design process to plan and produce products that better meet user needs. This approach reduces the time and cost of traditional user research, decreases researcher bias, and more accurately reflects the true characteristics and needs of diverse user groups. The study uses China's fitness app Keep as a case study, utilizing artificial intelligence to collect and organize quantitative and qualitative data, and creates three typical virtual users representing healthy, overweight, and underweight user groups. These virtual users participated in the UI design process, and feedback and requirements from the virtual users provided design improvement solutions for layout, interaction efficiency, and personalized features. Comparative analysis and user surveys have verified that participatory design based on virtual users created with artificial intelligence is effective in improving user experience. The methods proposed in this study are expected to further disseminate user-centered design and enhance the quality of design.

Prevention of knee joint injuries in football basic training under the constraints of biomechanics model

Traditional research on knee injury prevention lacks scientific and targeted research due to the lack of biomechanics quantitative analysis and the failure to fully incorporate the specificity of football, making it difficult to effectively reduce the risk of injuries to athletes. This paper solves the problems of insufficient quantification and lack of specificity in traditional research by introducing a biomechanics model. This paper uses open source 3D modeling software to construct an anatomical model of the knee joint, uses an ordinary camera combined with Kinovea software to analyze the motion trajectory of the knee joint, uses IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensors to collect motion data, and uses OpenSim software to perform force analysis. Based on these analysis results, this paper designs a personalized knee injury prevention training program and conducts a basic training comparison experiment. The medial-lateral stress ratio of the knee joint in the experimental group is eventually reduced to 0.92, which reduces the peak force on the knee joint, improves knee joint stability, and the injury risk score fluctuation decreases during training, with the lowest being 7.3. The results show that the solution proposed in this paper provides scientific, systematic and practical guidance for the prevention of knee injuries in basic football training, and improves the safety and effectiveness of training.

The contributory factors leading to intimate partner violence against male victims in South Africa

Intimate partner violence against male victims is an understudied phenomenon that has been neglected by traditional research methods in South Africa. This study is intended to shed light on the under-researched area of intimate partner violence against male victims in South Africa. Despite the focus on female victims of violence, male victims have historically been neglected in research. This study is concerned with identifying the contributory factors that make men vulnerable to intimate partner violence in South Africa. This study employed the qualitative research approach. The study comprised of 10 male victims of intimate partner violence to assist the research to gather in-depth data about IPV. Furthermore, data was analyzed thematically, this is a qualitative research data analysis method used to identify, code, and categorize patterns and themes with the date set. Findings from this study are set to inform policymakers and service providers to develop interventions that meet the needs of male victims in South Africa, and to strengthen the evidence base for male victimhood. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on male victimhood and ultimately to the development of policy and programs that prevent violence against men and promote their safety and well-being.

Circulating Tumor Cells Culture: Methods, Challenges, and Clinical Applications.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a pivotal role in cancer metastasis and hold considerable potential for clinical diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring, and prognostic evaluation. Nevertheless, the limited quantity of CTCs in liquid biopsy samples poses challenges for comprehensive downstream analysis. In vitro culture of CTCs can effectively address the issue of insufficient CTC numbers. Furthermore, research based on CTC cell lines serves as a valuable complement to traditional cancer cell line-based research. While numerous reports exist on CTC in vitro culture and even the establishment of CTC cell lines, the methods used vary, leading to disparate culture outcomes. This review presents the developmental history and current status of CTC in vitro culture research. Additionally, the culture strategies applied in different methods and analyzed the impact of various steps on culture outcomes are compared. Overall, the review indicates that while the short-term culture of CTCs is relatively straightforward, long-term culture success has been achieved for various specific cancer types but still faces challenges. Further optimization of efficient and widely applicable culture strategies is needed. Additionally, ongoing applications of CTC in vitro culture are summarized, highlighting the potential of expanded CTCs for drug susceptibility testing and as therapeutic tools in personalized treatment.

Искусственный интеллект в образовании: обзор возможностей и ограничений

The topic of active implementation of AI technologies in modern educational reality is one of the most popular in modern scientific discourse. This article is aimed at fixing the points of view of domestic and foreign research community regarding the possibilities of applying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the educational sphere. The discussion is centered not so much on the diversity of approaches, topics, and strategies as on a semi-systematic (descriptive) literature review aimed at identifying the most significant research traditions for the topic under consideration. The latter include specific applications of AI technologies, the context of technology use related to the recently concluded COVID-19 pandemic, AI as a tool for learners’ adaptation in the educational process, as well as the analysis of opportunities, limitations, positive expectations and threats to the active implementation of AI technologies in education. Both the diversity of research positions and their ambiguity are recorded. It becomes obvious that despite the large number of publications devoted to the application of AI technologies in the educational process, a number of aspects remain unclear, including the understanding of what is the phenomenon of modern education in the context of the AI technologies application and how it is transformed under the influence of such technologies. The need for further understanding of the role and place of AI technologies in modern social practices within the educational process is emphasized.

Cheese eK-Book: a new web-based medium for capitalising on, structuring and transferring cheesemaking knowledge and know-how

PurposeThis paper aims to address the challenges faced by the cheese industry, particularly concerning the preservation and transfer of traditional cheesemaking knowledge. It emphasises the need for innovative solutions in sustainably managing knowledge and skills amidst changing demographic and technological landscapes.Design/methodology/approachOur approach consists of developing and implementing a digital tool, the cheese eK-Book, which is designed to capture, structure and disseminate cheesemaking knowledge. This tool is based on a semantic network and is accessible via smartphones and tablets and aims to facilitate continuous learning, knowledge transfer and collaboration across diverse stakeholders in the cheese production sector.FindingsThe study highlights several critical findings. Traditional cheesemaking knowledge is currently at risk due to a number of factors, including the ageing of skilled workers, a lack of succession planning and pressures from globalisation and industrialisation. The European dairy sector is evolving towards more specialised and automated production, requiring a skilled workforce capable of adapting to these changes. There is a significant gap between traditional cheese makers and research institutions, hindering the adoption of new technologies and best practices. The cheese eK-Book offers a promising solution to these challenges by preserving knowledge, supporting continuous learning and enhancing collaboration between industry stakeholders and educational/research institutions. The tool facilitates access to scientific knowledge, promotes work–life balance by offering a range of flexible learning opportunities and supports tailored training programmes based on individual users’ needs.Originality/valueThis article contributes original insights by proposing a comprehensive digital solution tailored to the specific, current needs of the cheese industry. By integrating modern technology with traditional knowledge, the cheese eK-Book not only preserves expertise but also fosters innovation and sustainability within the sector. It bridges the gap between practical cheesemaking skills and contemporary scientific understanding, addressing critical challenges such as knowledge retention, succession planning and workforce development in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. The strength of the Cheese eK-Book lies in its capacity to communicate knowledge, traditions and teachings across generations. This transfer of knowledge and skills plays a crucial role in preserving heritage and fostering connections across different generations within a community.

Method for Evaluating Urban Building Renewal Potential Based on Multimachine Learning Integration: A Case Study of Longgang and Longhua Districts in Shenzhen

With the continuous advancement of urbanization, urban renewal has become a vital means of enhancing urban functionality and improving living environments. Traditional urban renewal research primarily focuses on the macro level, analyzing regions or units, with limited studies targeting individual buildings. Consequently, the unique characteristics and specific requirements of individual buildings during urban renewal have often been overlooked. This study first identified individual buildings undergoing urban renewal in the Longgang and Longhua Districts of Shenzhen, China, from 2018 to 2023 using multisource data such as the 2018 Shenzhen Building Census. A regression analysis based on building characteristics and locational factors was conducted using a stacking ensemble machine learning model. In addition, buildings were categorized into residential, industrial, and commercial types based on their usage, enabling both overall- and category-specific predictions of building renewal. The results show the following: (1) Using the prediction results of multilayer perceptron (MLP) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) base models as inputs and fusing them with an AdaBoost classifier as the final metamodel, the goodness of fit of the overall building renewal regression model increased by 2.19%. (2) The regression model achieved an overall urban renewal prediction accuracy of 89.41%. Categorizing urban renewal projects improved the goodness of fit for residential and industrial building renewal by 0.14% and 6.13%, respectively. (3) Compared with traditional macro-level evaluation methods, the experimental results of this study improved by 8.41%, and compared with single-model approaches based on planning permit data, the accuracy improved by 29.11%.

Leveraging Non-formal Action Research to Enhance Teacher Research Activity at a Pedagogical University in Republic of Kazakhstan

The study was conducted with the aim of identifying the possibilities for implementing the informal research method of Action Research into the educational process of a pedagogical university as a tool for enhancing the research activity of university teachers in Kazakhstan. The significance of mastering this method by pedagogical university faculty is grounded in their ability to disseminate their experience, involving students—future teachers—in a cyclical process of continuous research and transformation of their pedagogical practices. As a result of the literature review, the advantages of Action Research were highlighted, particularly in terms of activating personal, professional, and environmental resources that were previously underutilized in traditional formal research formats. The relevance of the study lies in the necessity to examine global experiences with informal research methods, focusing on the feasibility of their implementation with consideration of the specific context of Kazakhstan. The article describes the process of conceptualizing the informal method of Action Research, diagnosing awareness and demand for this method among young pedagogical university faculty, developing and testing a program for its implementation, evaluating its effectiveness, ensuring post-course support, and determining the prospects for integrating the method on a national scale. Methods such as surveys, pilot studies, formative experiments, and Action Research tools were applied. A pilot implementation of Action Research was conducted to develop the research activity of young faculty members at Abai University, considering their needs within the framework of a modular professional development program titled “Action Research – the Foundation for Developing a Pedagogue-Researcher Model.” Analysis of the results confirmed the effectiveness of implementing the method in enhancing the research activity of teachers and transforming them into researcher-teachers. Based on the review and feedback analysis, the prospects for the expanded integration of informal research methods into the practice of education in Kazakhstan were identified.

Sociology of values or sociology of morality?

Values and morality are the key concepts sociologists have been using to emphasize the normative dimension of social behavior since the very dawn of our discipline. Yet, while one can find two modern traditions of research concentrated around the concepts of values and morality in sociology, the strict relations between them are rarely explicitly addressed. In this article, we aim to analyze the concepts of values and morality as used in sociological theory and research, specifying the core meanings and contexts in which sociologists employ either of them. Based on this, we propose four analytical optics – empirical vs theoretical emphasis, moral vs non-moral values, bottom-up vs top-down approach, realism vs relativism – that help clarify the crucial features of the two strands in comparison to each other while suggesting the ways by which they may further complement each other.

Multimodal Discourse Analysis and Electronic Devices: A Pilot Study on Emotionally Supported Evidence

Communication is multimodal in its very nature. In recent decades, research interest in this topic has grown exponentially, especially from a Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) standpoint. Within academic settings, several studies have looked at lecturers’ combinations of verbal and non-verbal features, but not necessarily in relation to the emotions that are implicitly part of lecturing. We believe that teaching involves transmitting knowledge together with emotions to students, more or less consciously. This may even be more relevant in an English Medium Instruction (EMI) setting, as English is not the instructor’s main language. Thus, our main aim is to analyse an example of EMI teaching practice from an MDA perspective but adding an electronic device—an electroencephalograph—that can help us improve and/or complement the analysis in different ways: adding more objective support and dealing with the emotions lecturers can transmit when delivering their classes. Results show that this combination of observation and technology can potentially enrich results from traditional MDA research.

Research Through Design – A research paradigm that integrates engineering designers and engineering education researchers

Engineering education as currently practiced is effectively undertaking traditional educational research in an engineering context. While valuable for understanding and promoting change in engineering education, this approach calls into question why engineering education should be redefined as a unique research discipline. This research paper explores an emerging research paradigm – "Research Through Design" (RTD) – and suggests how it can be integrated into engineering education research. The aim of this paper is to provide a practical understanding of the history, objectives, and methods of RTD, and to assess its potential applicability both to advance engineering education research and to integrate the engineering education research community

Blurred lines of participation: nexus analytical tools for reflecting on the roles of researchers and participants in change-oriented research projects

Abstract This article discusses nexus analysis (NA) as a research strategy that provides specific tools for reflecting on the roles of researchers and participants in participatory research. While many research traditions use participatory methods and problematise what it means to participate in research, thus far the potential of nexus analytical concepts as tools to mediate such a reflection has not been discussed explicitly. In order to illustrate how NA promotes such reflections, we draw on four linguistic projects in multilingual settings that deal with (1) preservice teachers’ learning to design for language learning in hybrid environments on a university course, (2) plurilingual and collaborative teaching approaches to writing in language classrooms in secondary schools, (3) language socialisation of migrant mothers, and (4) family language policy in single-parent families. With this article, we demonstrate how the nexus analytical conceptual tools of ‘zone of identification’, ‘historical body’ and ‘interaction order’ facilitate reflection upon the researcher’s participatory engagement in various stages of the research process. We show that the lines between the roles of researchers and participants are blurry, in particular in research projects that focus on introducing social change. Additionally, we highlight the importance of reflecting on power relations between researchers and participants and how control over project direction and decisions can impact the representation and involvement of community members.

The nexus between cyberloafing and employee well-being: role of creativity in the Nigerian service sector

In the modern service sector, cyberloafing engaging in non-work-related internet activities during work hours has become increasingly prevalent. Although traditional research has often highlighted its negative impact, emerging studies have suggested potential benefits. This study explored the dual nature of cyberloafing, particularly its influence on employee creativity and well-being, with creativity as the mediating factor. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, we developed a conceptual framework to investigate these relationships. A cross-sectional survey of 379 employees across four service industries in Nigeria was conducted, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.1. Comparative analysis of the original and alternative models revealed that specific cyberloafing behaviors are positively associated with enhanced creativity, which in turn contributes to improved employee well-being. However, the alternative model suggests that well-being may lead to increased creativity with the potential to result in cyberloafing. This highlights the need for balanced organizational policies. These findings challenge the traditional view of cyberloafing, as they suggest that, under certain conditions, it may foster innovation and improve morale. This study provides significant theoretical insights and practical implications, advocating a nuanced approach to cyberloafing within organizational policies and cultures.