Where is science heading? The main challenges before today's scientists?

Anecdotal and historical accounts of science suggest that in earlier times, researchers pursued science more as a hobby at their own pace with support and encouragement from patrons and communities. This leads to inequality in scientific research, where some fields and researchers may have an easier time obtaining funding and resources, while other fields and researchers may lack this support, making it difficult to conduct meaningful research. Progress of science needs efforts from the researchers with a poly-disciplinary mindset as well as mono-disciplinary strengths.[[5]] The role of science is evident to everyone from the recent example, i.e., protecting eight billion people from the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of researchers are now pursuing science as opposed to thousands and hundreds of researchers in the earlier periods of science. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Drying Technology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Evaluation of animal biosafety webinar series for professionals working in animal facilities across Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic

Experimental research with animals can help the prevention, cure, and alleviation of human ailments. Animal research facilities are critical for scientific advancement, but they can also pose a higher risk than other biomedical laboratories. Zoonosis, allergic reactions, bites, cuts, and scratches by animals are all substantial concerns that can occur in animal facilities. Furthermore, human error and unexpected animal behavior pose a risk not just to humans, but also to the environment and the animals themselves. The majority of biosafety and biosecurity training programs focus on clinical and biomedical laboratories dealing with human safety factors, with little emphasis on animal biosafety. The current virtual training was designed to improve biosafety and biosecurity capabilities of animal laboratory personnel, researchers, and veterinarians from different regions of Pakistan. The results revealed that understanding was improved regarding triggers for risk assessment in addition to annual and regular reviews (56% to 69%), biosecurity (21% to 50%), decontamination (17% to 35%), safe handling of sharps (21% to 35%), Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) (17% to 40%), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usage by waste handlers (60.9% to 75%), waste management (56% to 85%), animal biosafety levels (40.57% to 45%), and good microbiological practices and procedures (17% to 35%). To bring human and animal laboratories up to the same level in terms of biosafety and biosecurity, it is critical to focus on areas that have been overlooked in the past. Training programs focusing on animal biosafety should be conducted more frequently to strengthen bio risk management systems in animal research facilities.Copyright © 2021

COVID-19 and its influence on gastroenterology and endoscopy.

This article provides a short overview of the impact of the COVID-19 on gastroenterology and endoscopy. The healthcare worker's and scientists' selfless work helped to accumulate in a short period a large amount of information that helped to fight the new infection and its consequences. As clinicians, we need to continually renew information and promptly change clinical practice based on evidence-based medicine principles.Copyright © 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

From bespectacled, bearded and bald to explosions, potions and vaccines: Irish children's changing perceptions of scientists and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on those perceptions

Concern that stereotypical perceptions of scientists may influence attitudes towards science and willingness to pursue STEM-related careers has motivated interest in children's perceptions of scientists. This study investigated primary children's drawings of scientists at work based on Chambers' ‘Draw-A-Scientist Test' (DAST) and explored the influence of living during the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of scientists. One hundred and ninety-four children participated in the study;school closures interrupted the study resulting in fifty-one participating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stereotypic views of scientists that increased with age were revealed;differences between age groups were statistically significant. Drawings frequently depicted smiling lab-coated males working indoors using chemistry equipment. Boys incorporated significantly more stereotypic views in their drawings than girls. Same-sex preference for drawings of scientists was evident with female scientists drawn only by girls;however, this same sex preference weakened for girls, and they drew more male scientists as they got older. The absence of many traditional stereotypical indicators and presence of positive dispositions towards scientists and their work were welcome findings. There was greater awareness of the work of scientists amongst younger participants and a shift to broader conceptions of this work, both associated with living during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Impact of Vaccination on COVID-19 Spread in Real Time: Visualization and Analysis Tool

Coronaviruses have been around for years, they are a large family of viruses that can create a variety of anomaly in humans and even in animals, the first symptoms are summed up by a simple cold with fever but it can spread to very serious respiratory problems. This disease has caused a global crisis on all levels;it's a very big challenge that we have lived it since the Second World War. The challenging problem of COVID-19 data science is considered in this paper, where we propose a new data warhouse, that best meets the needs of scientists. The proposed data warhouse as of February 24, 2020, is based on heterogeneous data provided by Our World in Data GitHub and Kaggle database, which are collected daily from Our World in Data COVID-19. Furthermore, this data warehouse is used to feed dashboards in real time that helps the decision-makers to strengthening of the coronavirus screening network, track the spread of the virus before and after vaccination around the world to fight against this dangerous disease.

Scientific Intelligence: Recognising It to Nurture It.

Successful scientists need to think carefully about the particular aspect of the world around them they are investigating. They build on what is known in their area of science to identify how they might examine the issue or problem they are concerned with to offer further insights. Through investigating natural phenomena, they can solve problems and communicate new ways of looking at the world. Their work serves to address global and societal challenges and often offers improved ways of living. The ways that scientists' work can have implications for educational processes designed to prepare would-be scientists or scientifically aware citizens of the future. Eliciting reflections from experienced scientists recounting how they came to develop their scientific intellect, expertise and problem-solving know-how is useful to inform science education. This article reports on an aspect of a larger project involving 24 scientists specialising in biological or physical science research from Higher Education Institutions, located in either Manchester, Oxford or London. The study adopts a retrospective phenomenographical methodology and applies two fresh theoretical perspectives to eight in-depth interviews with professional scientists working in university departments involved in ground-breaking research. Conversations with the scientists were framed to explore the nature and extent of formal and informal learning influences affecting the development of their inventiveness and expertise in becoming scientists. The reified perspectives collated here show how a range of experiences have afforded expert scientists the opportunity to apply their intellectual capabilities. These kinds of demonstrable abilities have enabled them to scientifically contribute to being able to solve real-world problems. Additionally, a cross-case analysis of scientists' reported learning experiences could inform science education policy and practice.

A Review of Clinical Laboratory Education, Training and Progression: Historical Challenges, the Impact of COVID-19 and Future Considerations.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a wide global impact on society, including the clinical laboratory workforce. This historically underrepresented group of highly skilled professionals have now started to gain the attention they deserve. There had already been dramatic changes to laboratory training over the past 2 decades resulting from advances in technology, changes to service needs, and as a consequence of Pathology reform initiatives. The pandemic has had an additional impact. Higher education institutions and students adapted to emergency remote teaching. Clinical laboratories faced unprecedented challenges to meet COVID-19 testing demands and adjust to new ways of working whilst maintaining their usual high quality service provision. Training, assessment, and development arrangements had to convert to online platforms to maintain social distancing. The pandemic also had a global impact on mental health and wellbeing, further impacting learning/training. Despite these challenges, there have been many positive outcomes. This review highlights pre- and post-pandemic training and assessment for clinical laboratory professionals, with particular emphasis on Biomedical Scientists, outlining recent improvements among a history of challenges. There is increasing interest surrounding this vital workforce, accelerated thanks to the pandemic. This new public platform has emphasised the importance of quality diagnostic services in the patient pathway and in the response to national crises. The ability to maintain a quality service that is prepared for the future is grounded in the effective training and development of its staff. All of which can only be achieved with a workforce that is sustainable, invested in, and given a voice.

Engaging medical laboratory scientists in future pandemics: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria

The role of medical laboratory scientists has been critical in the early identification of the causative agent of the COVID-19 global pandemic, and the ongoing management and surveillance of the disease. Lessons from the Nigerian experience include the need to improve the capacity of laboratories in molecular diagnosis, increase the number of laboratories within the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control network, and establish more viral laboratories across the country. © 2023 Makata VC, Ekwebelem MC, Essien VG.

Developing an attitude scale for university students who perceived scientists as social media phenomena during the 2020 and 2021 Covid-19 pandemic

The aim of this study was to develop a measurement tool that would determine university students' attitudes toward the phenomena of scientists on social media during the period of Covid-19 pandemic. The sample of the study included 780 students studying at different departments and programs of universities in Turkey. The Scale of Students' Attitudes on Scientists as Phenomena on Social Media was developed in this study as a 5-point Likert scale with 27 items and 5 factors: Actuality of the shared post, Effect of the shared post on personal development, Credibility of the shared post, Dissemination of the shared post and Recognition of the scientist. Considering the overall reliability of the scale, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated as 0.957 and test-retest reliability coefficient as 0.942. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, the fit index values were found to be x2/sd=1.998, RMSEA=0.070, S-RMR=0.062, IFI=0.97, NNFI=0.97, NFI=0.95, CFI=0.97, GFI=0.92, AGFI=0.88, PNFI=0.83 and PGFI=0.67. These values examined in relation to the model's adequacy were determined to be perfectly acceptable. © 2022, FACTEACHEREDUCATION. All rights reserved.

Feedback from the 8th European Bioanalysis Forum Young Scientist Symposium.

After 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions, the 8th Young Scientist Symposium was organized again as a face-to-face meeting covering a broad array of scientific presentations. As in the previous editions, the meeting was organized by young scientists for young scientists under the umbrella of the European Bioanalysis Forum and in collaboration with academia. The traditional Science Café was again included as an interactive round table session. This year, the main focus was on the challenges of communication. New for the 8th edition was a session connecting the young scientists with more seasoned experts in an effort to bridge talent and experience. In this article, we share the feedback of the scientific sessions and the Science Café held at the symposium.

Spring 2023: Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC).

Over the past year, the leadership of the Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC), alongside our MD+ trainees, had the opportunity to further develop and implement our strategic plan in response to the evolving medical landscape. We have dedicated our efforts to the progression towards a post-pandemic environment, have taken advantage of the lessons learned during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis and have focused on enhancing in-person career development opportunities for our members.

Bullying, harassment, and discrimination of musculoskeletal researchers and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: an international study.

PURPOSE: Bullying, harassment, and discrimination (BHD) are prevalent in academic, scientific, and clinical departments, particularly orthopedic surgery, and can have lasting effects on victims. As it is unclear how BHD affects musculoskeletal (MSK) researchers, the following study assessed BHD in the MSK research community and whether the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused hardships in other industries, had an impact. METHODS: A web-based anonymous survey was developed in English by ORS Spine Section members to assess the impact of COVID-19 on MSK researchers in North America, Europe, and Asia, which included questions to evaluate the personal experience of researchers regarding BHD. RESULTS: 116 MSK researchers completed the survey. Of respondents, 34.5% (n = 40) focused on spine, 30.2% (n = 35) had multiple areas of interest, and 35.3% (n = 41) represented other areas of MSK research. BHD was observed by 26.7% (n = 31) of respondents and personally experienced by 11.2% (n = 13), with mid-career faculty both observing and experiencing the most BHD. Most who experienced BHD (53.8%, n = 7) experienced multiple forms. 32.8% (n = 38) of respondents were not able to speak out about BHD without fear of repercussions, with 13.8% (n = 16) being unsure about this. Of those who observed BHD, 54.8% (n = 17) noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had no impact on their observations. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to address the prevalence and determinants of BHD among MSK researchers. MSK researchers experienced and observed BHD, while many were not comfortable reporting and discussing violations to their institution. The COVID-19 pandemic had mixed-effects on BHD. Awareness and proactive policy changes may be warranted to reduce/eliminate the occurrence of BHD in this community.

Report on the Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Scientists in the Philippines

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has inflicted more than 280 million people all over the globe for around two years. It has impeded all functions, including the science community. To assess the extent of the impact that COVID-19 brought on the research quantity and quality of Filipino scientists, a survey was disseminated to 107 scientists who work in the fields of applied science, engineering science, natural science, physical science, and social science - providing the socio-economic and professional demographics of the participants. Results show that factors - such as gender, field of science, cohabitation, and age group - individually do not pose significant differences in the research quality or research quantity during the pandemic. However, combining these various factors showed significant differences, both positive and negative. Further, several focus group discussions (FGD) were performed to have a deeper understanding of the situation of the scientists during the pandemic. During the FGD, the direct implications of COVID-19 on participants' work-set up were discussed, what steps they and their institutions have done to cope with the pandemic, and the suggestions they have for the Philippine government. The FGD was analyzed into three thematic themes - namely, challenges faced by the participants and how they cope, mitigating actions done by their institutions, and the scientists' attitude towards institutional and national programs. Providing a stronger vaccination program, overhauling the procurement system, improving the efficiency of government institutions, and creating realistic research planning and funding management are the highlights of the policy recommendations offered to have better postpandemic handling and management. This is the first systematic and comprehensive study in the Philippines regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists. [ FROM AUTHOR]