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Scientific communities such as journals or professional societies have their own ways of creating and sharing knowledge called "epistemic cultures." Drawing on prior reflexive scholarship and conversations with eight preeminent consumer researchers, this article explores some of the central tenets of epistemic culture at the Journal of Consumer Research (JCR): midrange scope, differential insight, meaningful impact, and multidisciplinary field. It also provides some guidance to new consumer researchers on how to accomplish epistemic fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How might we expand the frame of health narratives so as to avoid genre calcification and more effectively harness these stories' transformative potential? This essay builds on the continued success of the "Defining Moments" forum while responding to Harter et al.'s 2020 call for "new stories shaped and shared in novel ways." Drawing on interdisciplinary research and theorizing, I suggest three narrative strategies for storytelling based on, respectively, the extended duration of a health context, the agentic power of nonhuman kinds, and the implicit collectivity of polyphonic narratives. Brief examples precede my discussion of each strategy. I invite others to join me in shaping innovative narratives that further challenge tacit assumptions of embodied health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to delve into the theoretical perspective on imagination in education, focusing specifically on Imaginative Education theory. The approach involves a dual objective: critically analyzing the limitations and specific potentials of Imaginative Education to stimulate contemporary discourse on imagination in education and using it as a foundation to frame current research in philosophy and psychology within an educational context. Key elements of this theoretical operation include a critical examination of philosophical taxonomies on the concept of imagination and its reinterpretation in relation to Predictive Coding and Embodied Cognition theories. The fundamental goal of this conceptual clarification goes beyond the theoretical realm. The article aspires to contribute to the growing interest in imagination, fantasy, and creativity as essential elements of curriculum design and teacher education, serving both as educational objectives and resources to create meaningful learning environments and experiences. Hence, the focus on the IE theory aims to bridge the gap between theoretical reflections on imagination and learning and their practical implications in curriculum design and teacher education or professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a heuristic tool aiming at bringing the multiple dimensions of interdisciplinarity (ID) and transdisciplinarity (TD) into direct conversation for researchers, funders, and policymakers. These societal actors have divergent conceptions, definitions, and practices of ID and TD that can be fruitfully put into dialogue to prosecute successful projects and programs. We anchor our study on the concept of "knowledge regime" and its three components (ideologies and myths, shared beliefs and practices, and imaginaries and values) to develop a comprehensive view of the heterogeneous understandings of ID and TD that goes beyond the cognitive dimension. Founded on a qualitative methodology, we designed a heuristic tool to disentangle this heterogeneity and bridge the different understandings in a comparable way. Through a semi-structured dialogue, users of the tool discuss ten questions that guide reflections on understandings of ID and TD used in projects, funding programs, and policy processes and their implications to reveal differences and increase mutual understanding. The findings offer details on the tool and systematize insights from those users who tested it in different contexts. We conclude by discussing the contribution this heuristic tool makes when considering ID and TD as knowledge regimes in the scientific and policy domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although interdisciplinary research has garnered extensive attention in academia, its core knowledge structure has yet to be systematically explored. To address this gap, this study aims to uncover the underlying core knowledge topics within interdisciplinary research, enabling researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge framework, improve research efficiency, and offer insights for future inquiries. Based on the Web of Science (WoS) database, this study collected 153 highly cited papers and employed the LDA topic model to identify latent topics and extract the knowledge structure within interdisciplinary research. The findings indicate that the core knowledge topics of interdisciplinary research can be categorized into four major areas: the knowledge framework and social impact of interdisciplinary research, multidisciplinary approaches in cancer treatment and patient care, Covid-19 multidisciplinary care and rehabilitation, and multidisciplinary AI and optimization in industrial applications. Moreover, the study reveals that AI-related interdisciplinary research topics are rapidly emerging. Through an in-depth analysis of these topics, the study discusses potential future directions for interdisciplinary research, including the cultivation and development of interdisciplinary talent, evaluation systems and policy support for interdisciplinary research, international cooperation and interdisciplinary globalization, and AI and interdisciplinary research optimization. This study not only uncovers the core knowledge structure of interdisciplinary research but also demonstrates the effectiveness of the LDA topic model as a data mining tool for revealing key topics and trends, providing practical tools for future research. However, this study has two main limitations: the time lag of highly cited papers and the dynamic evolution of interdisciplinary research. Future research should address these limitations to further enhance the understanding of interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the author's experience as a woman of color in academia, particularly within Irish Studies, where job insecurity and structural inequalities are prevalent. While she is grateful for a temporary postdoctoral fellowship, the author highlights the instability of academic roles, echoing Deirdre Flynn's insights on precarious, short-term contracts.

Despite recent studies of researchers' roles in sustainability science, understanding the factors that influence them is a complex challenge. To address this lack of knowledge, we conducted a self-reflexive analysis involving 11 researchers from Rennes, France, who self-reflected on 12 projects conducted in north-western France over the past 15 years. This study investigates the roles of researchers in sustainability science projects by clustering these projects based on their characteristics and by evaluating the roles researchers assumed within each cluster. Four clusters were identified, ranging from academic research with minimal stakeholder involvement to highly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects with significant stakeholder engagement. Researchers adopted multiple and dynamic roles, influenced by project characteristics but not deterministically. The role of transdisciplinary dialogue facilitator was frequently filled by intermediaries rather than researchers, highlighting a skills gap or a misalignment with traditional metrics of research performance. Self-reflection was significant in managing complex interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects, especially in clusters dealing with real-world problems and stakeholder interactions. The methodology, based on qualitative interviews and project clustering, proved effective and suggests that future research should include broader data collection and explore individual factors about mindset and motivation which influence researchers' roles. These findings emphasise the need for better support and recognition of diverse roles in academic evaluation and suggest the potential benefits of specialised intermediaries in transdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in multidisciplinary research in multimodal synthesis technology to stimulate diversity of modal interpretation in different application contexts. The real requirement for modality diversity across multiple contextual representation fields is due to the conflicting nature of data in multitarget sensors, which introduces other obstacles including ambiguity, uncertainty, imbalance, and redundancy in multiobject classification. This paper proposes a new adaptive and late multimodal fusion framework using evidence-enhanced deep learning guided by Dempster–Shafer theory and concatenation strategy to interpret multiple modalities and contextual representations that achieves a bigger number of features for interpreting unstructured multimodality types based on late fusion. Furthermore, it is designed based on a multifusion learning solution to solve the modality and context-based fusion that leads to improving decisions. It creates a fully automated selective deep neural network and constructs an adaptive fusion model for all modalities based on the input type. The proposed framework is implemented based on five layers which are a software-defined fusion layer, a preprocessing layer, a dynamic classification layer, an adaptive fusion layer, and an evaluation layer. The framework is formalizing the modality/context-based problem into an adaptive multifusion framework based on a late fusion level. The particle swarm optimization was used in multiple smart context systems to improve the final classification layer with the best optimal parameters that tracing 30 changes in hyperparameters of deep learning training models. This paper applies multiple experimental with multimodalities inputs in multicontext to show the behaviors the proposed multifusion framework. Experimental results on four challenging datasets including military, agricultural, COIVD-19, and food health data provide impressive results compared to other state-of-the-art multiple fusion models. The main strengths of proposed adaptive fusion framework can classify multiobjects with reduced features automatically and solves the fused data ambiguity and inconsistent data. In addition, it can increase the certainty and reduce the redundancy data with improving the unbalancing data. The experimental results of multimodalities experiment in multicontext using the proposed multimodal fusion framework achieve 98.45% of accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categories have gained new centrality in migration studies, highlighting the importance of critically approaching policy labels and considering categories as a lens rather than a pre-determined analytical toolkit. This Special Issue (SI) brings together migration scholars of different disciplinary backgrounds from the Global South and North. This article introduces the SI with a theoretically driven discussion of migration categories, hopefully inspiring further research and orienting newcomers to the field. Current studies have what we term sub-field confinement, one-dimensionality and context-related perspectival limitations. Bridging migration subfields, empirically apprehending the disconnections between policy and experiential dimensions of labelling and de-centring Global North analyses are key to understanding the socio-cultural life of migration categories. Further comparative and interdisciplinary research is necessary, given the topic's rising importance in migration studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social sciences are increasingly recognized as significant for building a sustainable world since the social perspective can assist researchers in other fields in navigating public controversy and designing more responsible interaction mechanisms between the natural and social systems. However, the question arises: to what extent do natural sciences rely on social science research in their studies? Examining life science publications from seven PLoS journals, this paper attempts to characterize the volume and trajectory of citations from life sciences to social sciences. We explore three core questions: To what extent do life sciences cite social sciences? What actors in the life sciences are citing social sciences? Which actors in the social sciences are being cited? Our analysis estimates social sciences influence 15%–19% of life science publications, contributing to 1.1%–1.5% of references in 2018. Social science citers are found across peripheral and central topics of life science disciplines. Cited social science publications exhibit various levels of interdisciplinarity and achieve the greatest citation impact among peers. Citations to social sciences are prevalent in both theoretically and methodologically oriented sections. We show empirically the increasing impact of social sciences on the development of the life sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We make two interventions in two evolving scholarly literatures. First, we show how fractal metaphors escape a recurring dichotomy in Christian pedagogical scholarship, the either/or of alienation from one's object of study versus union with it in "an act of love." Second, we try to replace recent interdisciplinary work's emphasis on "complexity" with "irreducibility." Fractals allow us to define these concepts and develop alternative "ways of knowing" with greater rigor. Both interventions bear directly on Christian formation, and so we derive five ways the Christian classroom can combat spiritual alienation and instead cultivate the "fractal imagination" of our students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core facilities are crucial for cutting‐edge scientific research in academic institutions, yet they place a significant financial burden on budgets. The viability of these facilities can be improved through cross‐institutional collaborations, although initiating and sustaining such partnerships poses challenges. Insights from Israel's recent nationwide organization of core facilities could offer valuable lessons for fostering similar cooperation elsewhere. Despite the chronic shortfall in public research funding, Israeli research institutions were slow to fully embrace infrastructure sharing. This gap led to the creation of the Israel Research Core Facilities (IRCF) in 2022, which linked core facilities across the country through a bottom‐up approach. IRCF facilitated the formation of numerous specialized nation‐wide networks for intellectual exchange, and supported training workshops and meetings aimed at core technology providers. These initiatives serve dual purposes: they ensure the ongoing advancement of technological capabilities across facilities, regardless of their size or location, and they strengthen the commitment to the IRCF mission by motivating the maintenance of the IRCF database. As a result, a model of "capacity sharing" emerged, connecting all of Israel's core facility centers. This model enhances infrastructure use, supports strategic planning, and fosters growth. With over 450 core experts offering over 1100 scientific services consolidated into a publicly accessible database, IRCF supports research in universities, hospitals, government, and industry. This strategy could act as a model for creating regional core facility organizations to elevate research quality and ensure efficient infrastructure development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, sharing economy business models (BMs) have gained substantial research attention. This stream has led to several important insights, but due to its practical nature and diversity, it has provided limited conceptual integration. This introductory article conceptualizes the research field of sharing economy BMs and their implications for market dynamics, digital technology, and sustainability. Furthermore, we summarize the six articles published in the special issue of sharing economy BMs and discuss how each of them pushes the boundaries of empirical and conceptual insights in the field. Overall, this special issue contributes to a deeper understanding of research in the intersection of the sharing economy and business models and develops a call for future research across the three dimensions of market dynamics, technology, and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US populace appears to be increasingly polarized on partisan lines. Political fissures bifurcate the country even on empirical matters like vaccine safety and anthropogenic climate change. There now exists an ever-expanding interdisciplinary research program in which theorists attempt to explain increases in political polarization and myriad other phenomena collected under the "post-truth" heading by appeal to social-epistemic structures, like echo chambers and epistemic bubbles, that affect the flow and uptake of information in various communities. In this paper, I critically analyze C. Thi Nguyen's important and popular analysis of echo chambers and epistemic bubbles. As I demonstrate, the explanatory mechanisms on which Nguyen focuses are, arguably, overly cognitive and obscure significant effects of social-epistemic structures on our affective lives. The broader lesson to draw from my discussion is the following: commonly used expressions intended to refer to social-epistemic problems, like "political polarization", possess no univocal definition across theorists, and various ways of making the terms precise are differentially successful in characterizing verifiable phenomena. Theorizing about social-epistemic structures should be responsive to relevant empirical work on various phenomena that we have good reason to believe constitute real and substantive problems that result from the flow and uptake of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Beyond-GDP" metrics are essential for understanding societal progress. Yet despite their importance, these metrics are scattered across various databases, hindering accessibility and interdisciplinary analysis. Addressing this gap, we present the 'WISE database' – the first extensive collection of important Beyond-GDP metrics organized by Wellbeing, Inclusion, and Sustainability (WISE) dimensions. The WISE database consolidates data from a variety of sources, including international institutions and academic publications. It encompasses over one million data points across 244 metrics, covering 218 countries and 61 country groupings, from specific social and environmental indicators to the main Beyond-GDP indexes, and is augmented by essential metadata. The data primarily spans from 1995 to 2015, with some metrics extending back to the 19th century. To improve accessibility and data interpretation, a user-friendly online visualization tool has been developed. The WISE database aims to foster a broader view of societal progress, facilitate research on synergies and trade-offs of wellbeing, inclusion, and sustainability, and provide a foundation for interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the contribution of John Stone to the development of the journal Ethnic and Racial Studies and more generally to the study of race and ethnic relations. It outlines his commitment to the study of comparative race relations and to interdisciplinary research agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celiac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by the ingestion of minute amounts of gluten in a subset of genetically predisposed individuals. Its onset occurs at different ages and with variable symptoms. The gut microbiome may contribute to this variability. This review aims to provide an overview of the available research on celiac disease gut microbiome and identify the knowledge gap that could guide future studies. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), four electronic databases were searched for literature from January 2000 to July 2023 addressing celiac disease gut microbiome characterization using next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches. From the 489 publications retrieved, 48 publications were selected and analyzed, focusing on sample characterization (patients, controls, and tissues) and methodologies used for NGS microbiome analysis and characterization. The majority of the selected publications regarded children and adults, and four were randomized clinical trials. The number of participants per study greatly varied and was typically low. Feces were the most frequently tested sample matrix, and duodenal samples were analyzed in one-third of the studies. Incomplete and diverse information on the methodological approaches and gut microbiome results was broadly observed. While similar trends regarding the relative abundance of some phyla, such as Pseudomonadota (former Proteobacteria), were detected in some studies, others contradicted those results. The observed high variability of technical approaches and possibly low power and sample sizes may prevent reaching a consensus on celiac disease gut microbiome composition. Standardization of research protocols to allow reproducibility and comparability is required, as interdisciplinary collaborations to further data analysis, interpretation, and, more importantly, health outcome prediction or improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the pathways by which prospective users of a website for natural hazard communication experienced agency as user-centered design (UCD) participants. Formative interviews with residents, community managers, and outreach professionals revealed two pathways for agency during the design process—by directly influencing design changes and by indirectly affecting developers' understanding of user needs—and previewed users' potential agency during real-world use. Findings reveal how agential opportunities were constrained by UCD structure and choices of the development team. The authors discuss how supporting user agency during UCD can improve design and support buy-in for humanistic methods in interdisciplinary research teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines a multidisciplinary framework (Digital Rhetorical Ecosystem or DRE3) for scaling up qualitative analyses of image memes. First, we make a case for applying rhetorical theory to examine image memes as quasi‐arguments that promote claims on a variety of political and social issues. Next, we argue for integrating rhetorical analysis of image memes into an ecological framework to trace interaction and evolution of memetic claims as they coalesce into evidence ecosystems that inform public narratives. Finally, we apply a computational framework to address the particular problem of claim identification in memes at large scales. Our integrated framework answers the recent call in information studies to highlight the social, political, and cultural attributes of information phenomena, and bridges the divide between small‐scale qualitative analyses and large‐scale computational analyses of image memes. We present this theoretical framework to guide the development of research questions, processes, and computational architecture to study the widespread and powerful influence of image memes in shaping consequential public beliefs and sentiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐human primate (NHPs) conservation sites could be sites of exchange of pathogens involved in infectious diseases. It is important to assess the potential risks associated with this type of structure. The objective of this study was to carry out a risk assessment of the Primatology Centre housed in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Medical Research of Franceville (CIRMF). Methods: A questionnaire was administered to the centre's staff to assess the risk associated with each workstation, followed by a review of the various pathogens identified in NHPs. The data were analysed using two diagrams: the Kiviat diagram and the Pareto diagram. Results: Based on our results, a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites, potentially transmissible to humans, were described in the NHPs at the Primatology Centre of CIRMF. The position most exposed to zoonotic risks was that of animal handlers. Conclusion: The Primatology Centre of CIRMF is a potential transfer site for the transfer of zoonotic agents. To avoid the risk of parasite exchange between staff and animals, the implementation of biosecurity measures is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater jellyfish (= limnic medusa‐budding hydrozoans, FWJ) are a small group of cnidarians found on all continents except Antarctica in temperate to tropical latitudes. Members of this group belong primarily to three genera: Astrohydra, Craspedacusta, and Limnocnida. While Astrohydra and Limnocnida are typically restricted to the islands of Japan, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent, one species or potential species complex, Craspedacusta sowerbii, became globally invasive. Despite research going back about one‐and‐a‐half centuries, little is known about their phylogeny and ecology compared to marine jellyfish. Recent species distribution modelling, however, showed that by 2050, C. sowerbii will potentially extend their distribution ranges due to global warming to high‐latitude ecosystems and be present (medusa stage) for an extended time in the seasonal limnic production cycle. An increase in their relative ecological importance with temporal and spatial spreading is hypothesised. Only recently, it has been shown that the trophic roles of polyps and medusae and their prey overlap with other ecosystem members. In addition, medusa behaviour may cause trophic cascades and alter vertical nutrient distributions. However, polyps and other benthic life cycle stages are understudied. In globally, changing freshwater ecosystems that may become more accommodating for FWJ, an improved understanding of their population biology and ecosystem ecology is urgently needed. In this integrative review, we, therefore, explore reasons for the hampered historical research progress, contrast developments with those of marine cnidarians, compile and publish alongside an extensive and unprecedented literature database, and formulate avenues for future directions in FWJ research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve data usage in an interdisciplinary context, a clear understanding of the variables being measured is required for both humans and machines. In this paper, the I-ADOPT framework, which decomposes variable names into atomic elements, was tested within the context of continental surfaces and critical zone science, characterized by a large number and variety of observed environmental variables. We showed that the I-ADOPT framework can be used effectively to describe environmental variables with precision and that it was flexible enough to be used in the critical zone science context. Variable names can be documented in detail while allowing alignment with other ontologies or thesauri. We have identified difficulties in modeling complex variables, such as those monitoring fluxes between different environmental compartments and for variables monitoring ratios of physical quantities. We also showed that, for some variables, different decompositions were possible, which could make alignments with other ontologies and thesauri more difficult. The precision of variable names proved inadequate for data discovery services and a non-standard label (SimplifiedLabel) had to be defined for this purpose. In the context of open science and interdisciplinary research, the I-ADOPT framework has the potential to improve the interoperability of information systems and the use of data from various sources and disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three decades of interdisciplinary research within the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project has provided extensive archaeological, environmental and geoarchaeological datasets. This paper seeks to bring together these datasets to explore diachronic socio-ecological dynamics within the Sagalassos Study Area, SW Türkiye. For this, we will use the Adaptive Cycles and Resilience Theory framework to explore socio-cultural development during changing climatic and environmental conditions. The paper aims to serve as an in-depth case study of these frameworks, integrating archaeological and environmental data, which – despite the increasing popularity of resilience theory – remains underdeveloped within the field of archaeology, especially within Mediterranean and Anatolian archaeology. We will explore the utility of the adaptive cycle framework for reconstructing diachronic human-environment interactions through changing settlement patterns documented during surveys conducted by the Sagalassos Project. Critical phases within the settlement record can be identified during the last 8000 years including apparent periods of 'rupture' during the Middle Chalcolithic, Middle-Late Bronze Age, Hellenistic and Middle-Byzantine periods; representing times of serious upheaval in 'normal' cultural traditions and lifeways. The adaptive cycle framework will help distinguish between the effects of environmental changes and social dynamics, as well as their potential interrelations in causing long-term social transformation in the Sagalassos Study Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most citizen science research inherently separates the observer (citizen science participant) from the observation (e.g. data point), placing artificial boundaries around what matters and how it comes to matter. We apply three elements of the philosophical framework of agential realism to reveal a more complex picture of how data arise within citizen science programmes, and its meaning to both the practice of science and the citizen science participant: 'intra‐action' (all entities have agency and are entangled with one another); 'material becoming' (what comes to matter); and 'responsibility' (accountability for what comes to matter and what is excluded from mattering).We draw on a case study of FrogID—an Australia‐wide citizen science program focused on calling frogs, with over 42,000 participants and over 1 million frog records. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 30 FrogID users, completing two rounds of thematic and relational coding.Our findings reveal that as a consequence of their recording behaviours, FrogID participants become increasingly entangled with the nocturnal environment, with sound and with their own self. Expanding and reciprocal relationships and experiences shape the nature and frequency of their recordings.Second, meaning influences what comes to matter (i.e. what is recorded and submitted) for FrogID participants. We reveal meaning related to feedback (recognition and thus reciprocity), others (social networks and participation with family and friends) and the self (physical and mental well‐being and identity formation/becoming). These different forms of meaning influenced engagement with app use.Third, participants communicated responsibilities related to their involvement in citizen science, including responsibilities to create knowledge (e.g. longitudinal data collection), to conserve (e.g. actively conserving frog, formally committing areas to conservation) and to educate self and others (e.g. skills and competencies required for environmental action).Synthesis and applications: By recognizing a more comprehensive set of intra‐actions, beyond the observer and the observation, agential realism can reveal when, why and how citizen science observations are made; what observations come to matter and why; and how people can create a more just world. Agential realism can shape how citizen science participation, retention and biodiversity data generation are founded. We propose three opportunities for citizen science programs based on these findings. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative social scientists working in medical faculties have to meet multiple expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to comply with the philosophical and theoretical expectations of the social sciences. On the other hand, they may also be expected to produce publications which align with biomedical definitions and framings of quality. As interdisciplinary scholars, they must handle (at least) two sets of journal editors, peer reviewers, grant-awarding panels, and conference audiences. In this paper, we extend the current knowledge base on the 'dual expectations' challenge by drawing on Orlikowski and Yates' theoretical concept of communicative genres. A 'genre' in this context is a format of communication (e.g. letter, email, academic paper, and conference presentation) aimed at a particular audience, having a particular material form and socio-linguistic style, and governed by both formal requirements and unwritten social rules. Becoming a member of any community of practice involves becoming familiar with its accepted communicative genres and adept in using them. Academic writing, for example, is a craft that is learned through participation in the social process of communicating one's ideas to one's peers in journal articles and other formats. In this reflective paper, we show how the concept of a communicative genre can sensitise us to the conflicting and often dissonant expectations and rule systems governing different academic fields. We use this key concept to suggest ways in which the faculty can support early-career researchers to progress in careers which straddle qualitative social science and medical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: University research institutes were established in Malaysian Universities to facilitate research activities that do not fit into discipline-oriented departments, including the multi- and inter-disciplinary research that goes beyond the single-disciplinary boundary. This paper aims to report on a case study of one university research institute established in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), known as the institute for environment and development (LESTARI). LESTARI conducts multi-disciplinary research that emphasises research and capacity building on issues related to sustainable development. The aims of this paper are to examine the research evolution undergone at LESTARI, and to ascertain its contribution towards sustainable development goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach: LESTARI was established two years after the Rio Conference held in 1992, with the aims of promoting sustainable development through research and capacity building. This paper uses a qualitative approach to evaluate the research evolution of LESTARI, and a quantitative analysis to ascertain LESTARI's contribution to SDGs. Findings: After almost 30 years of establishment, LESTARI has moved from multi-disciplinary research to inter-disciplinary research. Although the transition was based on respective research areas (e.g. chemicals management and geopark), the research maturity of LESTARI is shown in its transformation from conventional to translational research. LESTARI has proven its capability to conduct multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, and the research outputs are also contributing to the SDGs. Practical implications: The LESTARI case study has shown that as long as a research institute has a firm and clear research direction, regardless of how it is evaluated and monitored (e.g. evaluated by SDGs), the research institute remains relevant in the context of its establishment. Social implications: The findings from this paper serve to set LESTARI as an example for other university research institutes, whether in Malaysia or in other countries. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this contribution is the first that discusses the transition from multi-disciplinary research to inter-disciplinary research, as well as the contribution to SDGs, among university research institutes in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future coexistence of human and nonhuman nature on an urban planet is at risk. A crucial lever is the transformation of human-nature relationships in and through cities. Urban planning as a sustainability intervention has the potential to reconnect cities with nature. To shed light on transformative potentials of urban planning in the context of human-nature connections, we conducted a systematic literature review. We analysed 71 empirical studies from Europe published between 2016 and 2022. We characterised the research using qualitative analysis, and applied the leverage point perspective as the main focus to identify blind spots and future research needs. Our review reveals a highly interdisciplinary field with research focus on transformation through planning, while issues of transformation in planning tend to receive less attention. Furthermore, the studies rather deal with shallow leverage points for sustainability transformations both in terms of system levels and human-nature connections. In order to unlock the potential of urban planning, future research should pay more attention to the inner dimensions of planning and human-nature connections in cities. Furthermore, research should be more concerned with the visionary modes of urban planning, e.g. by discussing what is (not) desirable in the future. Highlights: • The review links urban planning with the leverage points perspective and human-nature connections as important levers for sustainability transformations. • Deep leverage points are less frequently addressed than shallow leverage points. • Inner dimensions of human-nature connections are less frequently approached than outer dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethnobiologists commonly analyze local knowledge systems related to plants, animals, fungi, and ecosystems. However, microbes (bacteria, yeasts, molds, viruses, and other organisms), often considered invisible in their interactions with humans, are often neglected. Microorganisms were the earliest life forms on Earth, and humans have interacted with them throughout history. Over time, humans have accumulated ecological knowledge about microbes through attributes such as smell, taste, and texture that guide the management of contexts in which microorganisms evolve. These human-microbe interactions are, in fact, expressions of biocultural diversity. Thus, we propose that ethnomicrobiology is a distinct interdisciplinary field within ethnobiology that examines the management practices and knowledge surrounding human-microbe interactions, along with the theoretical contributions that such an approach can offer. Methods: We reviewed scientific journals, books, and chapters exploring human-microbe relationships. Our search included databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and specific journal websites, using keywords related to ethnomicrobiology and ethnozymology. To categorize activities involving deliberate human-microbial interactions, we examined topics such as fermentation, pickling, food preservation, silaging, tanning, drying, salting, smoking, traditional medicine, folk medicine, agricultural practices, composting, and other related practices. Results: Our research identified important precedents for ethnomicrobiology through practical and theoretical insights into human-microbe interactions, particularly in their impact on health, soil, and food systems. We also found that these interactions contribute to biodiversity conservation and co-evolutionary processes. This emerging interdisciplinary field has implications for food ecology, public health, and the biocultural conservation of hidden microbial landscapes and communities. It is essential to explore the socioecological implications of the interwoven relationships between microbial communities and humans. Equally important is the promotion of the conservation and recovery of this vast biocultural diversity, along with sustainable management practices informed by local ecological knowledge. Conclusion: Recognizing the dawn of ethnomicrobiology is essential as the field evolves from a descriptive to a more theoretical and integrative biological approach. We emphasize the critical role that traditional communities have played in conserving food, agriculture, and health systems. This emerging field highlights that the future of ethnobiological sciences will focus not on individual organisms or cultures, but on the symbiosis between microorganisms and humans that has shaped invisible but often complex biocultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern healthcare systems are increasingly organized according to diagnosis-specific clinical pathways and treatment protocols. At the same time, the number of patients with complex problems and needs that do not fit the single-diagnosis approach is rising, contributing to a high prevalence of diagnostic errors. In this article, we focus on the risk of diagnostic errors arising from missed or incomplete diagnosis and assessment of older adult patients' care needs in the first hours of acute hospitalizations in EDs. This focus is important for improving patient safety, as clinical decisions made in EDs impact patient safety in the subsequent steps of the process, thereby potentially causing new risks to arise. Based on our discussion of clinical decision-making and diagnostic errors in the acute care context, we propose a more comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to improvements in patient safety that integrates organizational and clinical research and examines where, when, how, and why risks to patient safety arise in and across different clinical–organizational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and techniques is ubiquitous and transversal. Fields that take advantage of AI advances include sound and music processing. The advances in interdisciplinary research potentially yield new insights that may further advance the AI methods in this field. This special issue aims to report recent progress and spur new research lines in AI-driven sound and music processing, especially within interdisciplinary research scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying pigments from colored relics is essential for their color restoration and for facsimile creation. A workflow for identifying pigment information is constructed based on visible spectral imaging technology, aligned with the drawing process of colored relics. This workflow includes three steps: boundary extraction, material identification and prediction of mixture proportions. The methods for segmenting visible spectral images, identifying chemical compositions, and predicting mixture proportions of pigments are extensively reviewed. Future research trends of these methods are also analyzed. The influence of the pigment particle size is currently underexplored but can be accomplished by multidisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the digital era, the evolving demands of professional fields, especially in higher education, have accentuated the need for advanced digital competencies among faculty members. Digital competencies are now considered essential for effective teaching, necessitating an in-depth understanding of how these skills are distributed across different demographics, including gender and academic level. This study aims to explore the digital competencies of faculty members at the State University of Milagro, focusing on how these competencies vary by gender and academic level. Methods: This study employed a quantitative approach within the positivist paradigm to assess the digital competencies of 279 faculty members at the State University of Milagro. Data were collected using the Higher Education Digital Competence Assessment Questionnaire, a validated instrument designed to measure various dimensions of digital skills. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS to evaluate the internal consistency of the competencies and to identify correlations among them, as well as to assess the influence of gender and academic level on these competencies. Results: The analysis revealed significant correlations among the different dimensions of digital competencies, indicating that proficiency in one area often contributes to the development of skills in other areas. The integrative nature of digital technologies within the academic environment was evident, with a high level of internal consistency observed across the competencies assessed. Notably, differences were found based on gender and academic level, suggesting that these demographic factors influence technological exposure and training, with certain groups displaying higher competency levels in specific areas. Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of promoting integrative educational strategies that consider the diverse backgrounds of faculty members to ensure equitable development of digital competencies. The observed gender and academic level disparities underline the need for targeted interventions that address the specific needs of different faculty groups. By fostering a more balanced development of digital skills, institutions can enhance overall teaching effectiveness and better prepare faculty to meet the demands of modern educational environments. These results contribute to the ongoing discourse on digital competency development in higher education and suggest avenues for further research on how to bridge existing gaps in digital skills among faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the extensive literature supporting distress screening at relevant transitions of care, the implementation of distress screening remains limited in ambulatory surgery settings. Our multidisciplinary team completed a pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of including a standardized psychosocial assessment, the Distress Thermometer (DT), with the collection of admission vital signs by Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) in patients undergoing oncology surgery. Methods: We assessed feasibility by the response rate and acceptability through discussions with the PCTs. Results: Of the 189 men who underwent radical prostatectomy at our center, 71 were approached with the DT scale, and all patients who were approached completed the DT with no missing data. The staff reported no issues with data collection. A total of 21/71 (30%; 95% CI 19%, 42%) reported a clinically relevant distress DT ≥ 4. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that incorporating the DT into vital sign collection was feasible, acceptable, and provided a valuable assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing immersive learning systems is challenging due to their multidisciplinary nature, involving game design, pedagogical modelling, computer science, and the application domain. The diversity of technologies, practices, and interventions makes it hard to explore solutions systematically. A new methodology called Multimodal Immersive Learning Systems Design Methodology (MILSDeM) is introduced to address these challenges. It includes a unified taxonomy, key performance indicators, and an iterative development process to foster innovation and creativity while enabling reusability and organisational learning. This article further reports on applying design-based research to design and develop MILSDeM. It also discusses the application of MILSDeM through its implementation in a real-life project conducted by the research team, which included four initiatives and eight prototypes. Moreover, the article introduces a unified taxonomy and reports on the qualitative analysis conducted to assess its components by experts from different domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year the United States government detains and deports hundreds of thousands of people who prior to their removal are held in confinement for an average of 55 days. The short and long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic on migrant detention and deportation continue to be evaluated in real time, including how we can best study it. This paper provides a timely analysis on the relationship between immigration enforcement and confinement, public health emergencies, and ethnographic methods. It makes two contributions. The first is methodological and focuses on the challenges and opportunities of ethnographic methods in carceral settings when pandemic-related protocols have raised additional challenges to conventional in-person prison ethnography. The second contribution is empirical and documents how we adapted ethnographic methods to an interdisciplinary research design and to the exigencies of the pandemic to study the spread of the coronavirus in four immigrant detention facilities in New Jersey, USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on migration in older age has been flourishing during the recent years. However, motives and experiences related to love, sexuality and intimacy are still a sensitive desideratum in older-age migration research. The Special Section approaches this gap and encourages interdisciplinary research to further contribute to this field. We argue that older-age migration and sexuality are closely linked concepts that deserve nuanced attention across the broad social sciences themes of inequality, inclusion and self-expression and across diverse geographies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research discusses the phenomenon of sexual violence related to the practice of human trafficking and how the provisions of commercial law play a role in this context. Sexual violence is often part of the exploitation experienced by victims of human trafficking, where women and children are the most vulnerable groups. This study highlights how trade law regulations, both national and international, can affect human trafficking practices and efforts to prevent and enforce sexual violence. This analysis involves a multidisciplinary approach, combining legal, social, and economic aspects to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between sexual violence, human trafficking, and commercial law. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of more effective policies in preventing and tackling human trafficking and protecting victims of sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social determinants of health encompass the social environmental factors and lived experiences that collectively shape an individual's health. Recently, the polysocial score approach has been introduced as an innovative method for capturing the cumulative impact of a broad spectrum of social factors. This approach offers a promising opportunity to complement and enhance conventional methodologies in the advancement of research on social determinants of health. In this issue of the Journal , Jawadekar et al (Am J Epidemiol. 2024;193(9):1296‑1300) evaluate the value of the polysocial score for predicting cognitive performance and mortality among middle-aged and older adults. Models built on a smaller set of social determinants, including race/ethnicity, sex, and education, performed comparably to the polysocial score models in which a more complex set of social factors was included. In this invited commentary, I evaluate the predictive ability of the polysocial score and discuss its merits and limitations. I also summarize the practical utility of the polysocial score in predicting health outcomes and its mechanistic significance in unveiling the relationship between genetics, social environment, and lifestyles in shaping an individual's health and elucidate health disparities. Lastly, I propose several avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing significance of interdisciplinary research poses a challenge in evaluating its quality and emphasizes the need for academic journals to choose appropriate reviewers for interdisciplinary research. Several studies have focused on the problems in reviewing interdisciplinary research, but fewer studies on the challenges of recruiting suitable reviewers for interdisciplinary research. Our study collects a specific group of active interdisciplinary reviewers who were awarded the "Top 1% reviewers in Cross-field" by Publons—a recognition for reviewers conducting the highest number of reviews in corresponding fields. We aim to examine the interdisciplinary backgrounds and intrinsic interactivity of these active interdisciplinary reviewers in various academic activities, alongside exploring the countries, institutions, and research fields they represent. Our findings shed light on the uneven distribution of active interdisciplinary reviewers among countries and institutions. We also observe that active interdisciplinary reviewers often possess high interdisciplinarity in their research activities, and this interdisciplinarity increases as their reviewing and research experience grows. Notably, moderately experienced reviewers (with 6–10 years of reviewing experience) are the primary force of active interdisciplinary reviewers. We also advocate for inviting reviewers with varied levels of research and reviewing experience commensurate with the interdisciplinarity or complexity of the research. Moreover, active interdisciplinary reviewers demonstrate a strong disciplinary similarity and correlation among their research, reviewing, and editorial activities. Given the mounting pressure and challenges associated with reviewing interdisciplinary research, we propose several recommendations based on our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems with performance management (PM) practices in the UAE healthcare sector, identifying key factors for successful adoption. It addresses a critical gap by analyzing the interplay between ERP systems and PM to enhance operational efficiency, patient care, and administrative processes. A literature review identified thirty-six critical factors, refined through expert interviews to highlight nine weak integration areas and two new factors. An online survey with 81 experts, who rated the 38 factors on a five-point Likert scale, provided data to calculate the Relative Importance Index (RII). The results reveal that employee involvement in performance metrics and effective organizational measures significantly impact system effectiveness and alignment. Mid-tier factors such as leadership and managerial support are essential for integration momentum, while foundational elements like infrastructure, scalability, security, and compliance are crucial for long-term success. The study recommends a holistic approach to these factors to maximize ERP benefits, offering insights for healthcare administrators and policymakers. Additionally, it highlights the need to address the challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations associated with using digital health technology in healthcare. Future research should explore ERP integration challenges in public and private healthcare settings, tailoring systems to specific organizational needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is widely used globally by patients, families of patients, health professionals, scientists, and other stakeholders who seek and share information related to cancer. Despite many benefits of social media for cancer care and research, there is also a substantial risk of exposure to misinformation, or inaccurate information about cancer. Types of misinformation vary from inaccurate information about cancer risk factors or unproven treatment options to conspiracy theories and public relations articles or advertisements appearing as reliable medical content. Many characteristics of social media networks—such as their extensive use and the relative ease it allows to share information quickly—facilitate the spread of misinformation. Research shows that inaccurate and misleading health‐related posts on social media often get more views and engagement (e.g., likes, shares) from users compared with accurate information. Exposure to misinformation can have downstream implications for health‐related attitudes and behaviors. However, combatting misinformation is a complex process that requires engagement from media platforms, scientific and health experts, governmental organizations, and the general public. Cancer experts, for example, should actively combat misinformation in real time and should disseminate evidence‐based content on social media. Health professionals should give information prescriptions to patients and families and support health literacy. Patients and families should vet the quality of cancer information before acting upon it (e.g., by using publicly available checklists) and seek recommended resources from health care providers and trusted organizations. Future multidisciplinary research is needed to identify optimal ways of building resilience and combating misinformation across social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sorrento Peninsula is characterized by a significant occurrence of examples of vernacular architecture, which exhibit distinctive morphological and constructive features. These have been the subject of numerous studies. However, some buildings have undergone a process of transformation over time, the details of which have yet to be investigated. Architectures that initially held a rural character were enlarged and ennobled, thereby becoming what could be termed as "villas of delights". However, these clearly manifest their origin based on the permanence of some vernacular features. This paper focuses on the analysis of a case study, Villa Murat, which is exemplary in illustrating this process. This thorough interdisciplinary research combines historical investigation, based mainly on archival documents, with a direct examination of the Villa. This has enabled the retracing of the building's evolution and of the events that occurred in it. An integrated survey, which employed photogrammetry and laser scanning, enabled the assessment of the current state of conservation. The ultimate objective of this research is to propose conservative interventions which, in conjunction with the suggested new intended use, could ensure the preservation of the Villa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study, which is part of a wider inter-disciplinary research project on Medieval Rome funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, focuses on the archaeometric characterisation of glass tesserae from the apse mosaic of the church of S. Agnese fuori le mura, dated to the 7th century AD and never analysed until now. The main aims of the study are the identification of chemical compositions of glassy matrices and colouring/opacifying techniques by means of the combination of micro-textural, chemical, and mineralogical data. In S. Agnese tesserae, the results show the presence of glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments, typical of both Roman and Late Antique/Early Medieval periods. The technological features identified (in particular, glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments) allow us to discriminate not only new-production tesserae, i.e., those probably produced in the 7th century for the realisation of the S. Agnese mosaic, but also those obtained from recycling or re-using previous glass. This testifies to a quite complex "puzzle", unusual in other glass mosaics from the same city and coeval with S. Agnese, supporting further the potentiality of archaeometric studies on glass to uncover the technical and socio-cultural knowledge that underpins its manufacturing, use, re-use, and recycling in the Early Medieval Rome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft attract attention due to their unique characteristics of reduced noise, moderate pollutant emission, and lowered operating cost. However, the benefits of electric vehicles, including eVTOL aircraft, are critically challenged by the energy density of batteries, which prohibit long-distance tasks and broader applications. Since the takeoff process of eVTOL aircraft demands excessive energy and couples multiple subsystems (such as aerodynamics and propulsion), multidisciplinary analysis and optimization (MDAO) become essential. Conventional MDAO, however, iteratively evaluates high-fidelity simulation models, making the whole process computationally intensive. Surrogates, in lieu of simulation models, empower efficient MDAO with the premise of sufficient accuracy, but naive surrogate modeling could result in an enormous training cost. Thus, this work develops a twin-generator generative adversarial network (twinGAN) model to intelligently parameterize takeoff power and wing angle profiles of an eVTOL aircraft. The twinGAN-enabled surrogate-based takeoff trajectory design framework was demonstrated on the Airbus A 3 Vahana aircraft. The twinGAN provisioned two-fold dimensionality reductions. First, twinGAN generated only realistic trajectory profiles of power and wing angle, which implicitly reduced the design space. Second, twinGAN with three variables represented the takeoff trajectory profiles originally parameterized using 40 B-spline control points, which explicitly reduced the design space while maintaining sufficient variability, as verified by fitting optimization. Moreover, surrogate modeling with respect to the three twinGAN variables, total takeoff time, mass, and power efficiency, reached around 99% accuracy for all the quantities of interest (such as vertical displacement). Surrogate-based, derivative-free optimizations obtained over 95% accuracy and reduced the required computational time by around 26 times compared with simulation-based, gradient-based optimization. Thus, the novelty of this work lies in the fact that the twinGAN model intelligently parameterized trajectory designs, which achieved implicit and explicit dimensionality reductions. Additionally, twinGAN-enabled surrogate modeling enabled the efficient takeoff trajectory design with high accuracy and computational cost reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global crises become increasingly complex and intertwined, crisis readiness has emerged as a pivotal factor for an organisation's survival. Despite a growing, interdisciplinary corpus of research underscoring the necessity for systematic crisis management and strategic communication, a comprehensive understanding of corporate crisis readiness and methodologies for its achievement remain elusive and inadequately addressed. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review, meticulously analysing 7287 articles to identify 40 eligible studies from 1987 to 2022. Through inductive content analysis and narrative synthesis, we have delineated the concept of crisis readiness and devised a comprehensive 10‐step process framework that organisations are advised to implement in preparation for potential crises. This investigation enriches the academic dialogue on crisis readiness by integrating insights from strategic management, crisis handling, organisational development, and learning theories. This offers a more nuanced understanding of how organisations can equip themselves for crisis situations. Additionally, our study sheds light on promising directions for future research in this vital field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated Communications Management (ICM) has emerged as a critical strategy in the evolving economy of organisational dynamics. This paper delves into its evolution, challenges, and thematic axes, addressing theoretical controversies and practical applications. This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of ICM literature from 1989 to June 2023, scrutinising 971 publications from Elsevier Scopus. The study seeks to unveil patterns in productivity, authorship, collaboration networks, international contributions, and thematic structures. Employing systematic bibliometric methodology, this study analyses selected publications from the Scopus database. It integrates quantitative productivity metrics, citation analysis, qualitative mapping, and network exploration. The findings highlight a significant surge in ICM studies since 2009, delineating thematic axes such as strategic communication, integrated marketing communications, social media, and public relations. Philip J. Kitchen is the most prolific author, while the most productive source, the Journal of Communication Management, plays a significant role in shaping the field of ICM. Remarkable collaboration networks are led by P. J. Kitchen, A. Siano, and A. Moreno. The analysis underscores the growing interest in ICM, emphasising ongoing interdisciplinary research and theoretical refinement. It advocates for further exploration to enhance both theoretical understanding and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles within the issue on topics including the history of crop science, food security, agricultural economy and development, and the global food system.