Are Students Submitting their Mathematics Outputs on Time during the COVID-19 Pandemic?: A Statistical Modeling

During the pandemic, submitting students' outputs in mathematics is seldom on time because of a lack of focus on doing their activities before the deadline. In fact, several causal factors cause the students' submission process of mathematics outputs. Hence, this study focused on investigating the factors of outputs submission on time among students at Visayas State University taking a mathematics course online amid the new normal. The study involved statistical measures to summarize the variables of interest and employed binary logistic regression to model the causal factors affecting the students' submission on time. Results revealed that only 26.15% of the students are submitting their mathematics outputs on time. This means that during the pandemic, several students are having difficulty submitting their outputs on or before the given deadline. The logistic regression model showed that the significant factors that influence the students' submission on time include the availability of laptops (p- value=0.011), money spent on internet load (p-value=0.062), small household size (p- value=0.087), and internet signal strength (p-value=0.020). It is concluded that appropriate gadgets (technology) for online learning are a great help in accomplishing learning tasks on time. Additionally, less distraction at home, enough budget, and a good internet signal can progress their required mathematics activities and sustain an effective learning behavior amid the distance learning process. Hence, students must be supported by the Philippine government in terms of their need for learning tools that are suitable for online learning. Furthermore, teachers must provide attainable learning tasks given the deadline of submission and encourage their students to develop time scheduling management for their mathematics activities.

CIVIL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE BREACH OF DUTY TO PRESENT THE HOLOGRAPHIC WILL

The strict confinement phase decreed by the Government to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic represented an exponential increase in the granting of holographic wills due to the impossibility of citizens to go to a notarial office. Once the deceased passed away, the holder or depositary will have ten days counting from the day after they had news of the death to present the will before a competent notary so that it can be confirmed. This work studies what consequences are derived from not respecting said legal mandate, with special attention to the civil liability that the infringer may incur, as well as the extent to which it can be considered unworthy to succeed whoever had willfully breached the provisions of the sec. 690 of the Spanish Civil Code. © 2022 Ibero-American Law Institute. All rights reserved.

Time from submission to publication in urology journals: A look at publication times before and during Covid-19.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic impacted scientific publishing, though it's effect on publication times in urology literature is unknown. The objective of our study were to determine and compare acceptance and publication times in general and specific urology journals, and to quantify these times before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: We identified all original articles published in seven urology journals in 2019 and 2021, and extracted data on submission, acceptance, online, and in-print publication times. Differences between groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: A total of 2880 articles were included, comprising 1601 articles published in 2021 and 1279 in 2019. Less experimental/animal studies were published in 2021 compared to 2019 (197 vs. 289). Time between submission and online publication was longer in 2021 (median 4.4 vs 3.3 months, p < 0.001), though acceptance times were not different (median 3.3 vs 3.3 months, p = 0.25). Prostate (median: 2.8 months, Neurourology and Urodynamics (median: 2.8 months) and Word Journal of Urology (median 2.9 months) had the shortest acceptance time in 2021. Time between submission and in-print publication ranged from 4.6 months (IQR: 3.6-6.8) for Prostate to 11.9 months (IQR: 9.8-13.2) for World Journal of Urology. Acceptance times were significantly longer in 2021 compared to 2019 for Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, Journal of Sexual Medicine, and Prostate. Moreover, time between submission and in print publication was longer in 2021 compared to 2019 for Journal of Sexual Medicine and Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, and shorter for Neurourology and Urodynamics. The median time to in print publication was lower for publications from US institutions (median 7.0 vs. 7.7 months in 2019 and 8.7 months vs 9.1 months in 2021). Conclusions: We identified journal specific acceptance and publication times and observed substantial differences between urology journals for the years 2019 and 2021.

Gender Differences in National Institutes of Health Grant Submissions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Emerging data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women in academic medicine, potentially eliminating recent gains that have been made toward gender equity. This study examined possible pandemic-related gender disparities in research grant submissions, one of the most important criteria for academic promotion and tenure evaluations. Methods: Data were collected from two major academic institutions (one private and one public) on the gender and academic rank of faculty principal investigators who submitted new grants to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during COVID-19 (March 1st, 2020, through August 31, 2020) compared with a matched period in 2019 (March 1st, 2019, through August 31, 2019). t-Tests and chi-square analyses compared the gender distribution of individuals who submitted grants during the two periods of examination. Results: In 2019 (prepandemic), there was no significant difference in the average number of grants submitted by women compared with men faculty. In contrast, women faculty submitted significantly fewer grants in 2020 (during the pandemic) than men. Men were also significantly more likely than women to submit grants in both 2019 and 2020 compared with submitting in 2019 only, suggesting men faculty may have been more likely than their women colleagues to sustain their productivity in grant submissions during the pandemic. Discussion: Women's loss of extramural funding may compound over time, as it impedes new data collection, research progress, and academic advancement. Efforts to support women's research productivity and career trajectories are urgently needed in the following years of pandemic recovery.

Telehealth and Medicine Today 2020 Editors Best Article Award ConV2X 2021 Editors Best Telehealth Article Award: ConV2X 2021 Editors Best Telehealth Article Award

Announced during the Telehealth and Medicine Today (THMT) ConV2X 2021 Symposium themed “Blueprint for a New Digital Health Era,” broadcast November 10, 2021, the winning article is titled: "Role of Telemedicine in Healthcare During COVID-19 Pandemic in Developing Countries," authored by Muhammad Abdul Kadir, PhD, Department of Biomedical Physics & Technology from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The article presented the highest number of reader engagements with the most downloads, views and highest number of citations to date. To read the open access peer reviwed article go to https://doi.org/10.30953/bhty.v3.134. The work is important because it represents the global bibliodiversity of research content in THMT that is critical in sharing local and global issues with the ecosystem. This supports the dissemination of research results for the benefit of all in society, while simultaneously promoting diversity in research assessment and evaluation from emerging nations. Dr. Kadir commented the reason he selected the Telehealth and Medicine Today (THMT) journal was due to the journal’s timeliness, that it is open access, and that he appreciates THMT's diverse scientific community and reach around the globe – along with the number of citations received to date.

Clinicians' Intention to Submit Microbiological Pathogenic Test Before Antibiotics Use and Its Influencing Factors: New Evidence from the Perspective of Hospital Management.

Purpose: Antimicrobial resistance (AR) is a global public health problem, improving clinicians' intention to submit microbiological pathogenic test (submission intention) can effectively increase the value for rational use antibiotics to curb AR. However, there are few studies on the factors influencing improvement of the submission intention, especially from the perspective of hospital management. This study will fill the gap and provide evidence that can continuously support improvement of antibiotics prescribing rationally. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of clinicians was conducted in all public hospitals in Hubei, China. Dependent variables were submission intention of non-restricted-use, restricted-use and special-use antibiotics which were measured submission, not sure submission, no submission. Independent variables were frequency of training and publicity on submission, and hospital with or without submission performance assessment, guideline, information decision system and laboratory items, including bacterial culture item, fungal culture item and so on. Clinicians' demographics were applied as control variables. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to model independent variables influencing submission intention. Results: For non-restricted-use antibiotics, guideline (OR = 0.263; 95% CI = [0.188, 0.369]) (OR = 0.526; 95% CI = [0.375, 0.738]) and bacterial culture item (OR = 0.141; 95% CI = [0.074, 0.268]) (OR = 0.520; 95% CI = [0.292, 0.927]) are key factors that positively affect clinicians' intention on submission and not sure submission; For restricted-use and special-use antibiotics, training frequency and bacterial culture item (OR = 0.155; 95% CI = [0.076, 0.315]) (OR = 0.092; 95% CI = [0.036, 0.232]) (OR = 0.106; 95% CI = [0.046, 0.248]) (OR = 0.027; 95% CI = [0.006, 0.117]) are key factors that positively affect clinicians' intention on submission and not sure submission. Conclusion: This study found that bacterial culture item, guideline, and training frequency are key factors that affect clinicians' intention on submission and not sure submission, but various factors exist different effects level on different types of antibiotics. Consequently, a focus should be placed on the construction and implementation of management factors, as well as reformation of antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals according to the types of antibiotics.

Innovation and expansion in Language Testing for changing times

The article presents the discussion on experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic thinking about the best ways for embracing open science practices and encouraging the submission of various article types.

Nationwide effectiveness of five SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Hungary-the HUN-VE study.

OBJECTIVES: The Hungarian vaccination campaign was conducted with five different vaccines during the third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2021. This observational study (HUN-VE: Hungarian Vaccine Effectiveness) estimated vaccine effectiveness against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19-related mortality in 3.7 million vaccinated individuals. METHODS: Incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related mortality were calculated using data from the National Public Health Centre surveillance database. Estimated vaccine effectiveness was calculated as 1 - incidence rate ratio ≥7 days after the second dose for each available vaccine versus an unvaccinated control group using mixed-effect negative binomial regression controlling for age, sex and calendar day. RESULTS: Between 22 January 2021 and 10 June 2021, 3 740 066 Hungarian individuals received two doses of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), HB02 (Sinopharm), Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik-V), AZD1222 (AstraZeneca), or mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccines. Incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related death were 1.73-9.3/100 000 person-days and 0.04-0.65/100 000 person-days in the fully vaccinated population, respectively. Estimated adjusted effectiveness varied between 68.7% (95% CI 67.2%-70.1%) and 88.7% (95% CI 86.6%-90.4%) against SARS-CoV-2 infection, and between 87.8% (95% CI 86.1%-89.4%) and 97.5% (95% CI 95.6%-98.6%) against COVID-19-related death, with 100% effectiveness in individuals aged 16-44 years for all vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: Our observational study demonstrated the high or very high effectiveness of five different vaccines in the prevention SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related death.

Journal submissions, review and editorial decision patterns during initial COVID-19 restrictions.

We use the full administrative records from four leading agricultural economics journals to study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on manuscript submission, editorial desk rejection and reviewer acceptance rates, and time to editorial decision. We also test for gender differences in these impacts. Manuscript submissions increased sharply and equi-proportionately by gender. Desk rejection rates remained stable, leading to increased demand for reviews. Female reviewers became eight percentage points more likely to decline a review invitation during the early stage of the pandemic. First editorial decisions for papers sent out for peer review occurred significantly faster after pandemic lockdowns began. Overall, the initial effects of the pandemic on journal editorial tasks and review patterns appear relatively modest, despite the increased number of submissions handled by editors and reviewers. We find no evidence in agricultural economics of a generalized disruption to near-term, peer-reviewed publication.

The Performance of Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences in 2020 and the Impact of COVID-19 on the Trend of Manuscript Submissions.

In this Editorial, we report on the trend of manuscript submissions during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The total monthly new manuscript submissions from 2018 to 2020 were compared to examine the overall trends in submission and publication activities. Apart from that, we also report on the changes in the journal's administration and the external recognition received by the journal.

Assessment of an electronic system for research ethics committees document management: An observational study.

Since 1 January 2020, the Central Research Ethics Committee of the Health Ministry implemented PRIISA.BA, an in-house developed electronic system for online submission of health research applications to the 63 public and private research ethics committees (RECs) of Buenos Aires City, Argentina. This study though to compare the times to first review and the time to approval among applications submitted prior to PRIISA.BA and thereafter, across public RECs. All public RECs of the city were invited to participate. Overall, 453 applications from 10 RECs (242 pre- and 211 post-PRIISA.BA) were available for the analyses. There was a decrease in the time to first review and an increase in the time to approval after PRIISA.BA implementation. The increase in time to approval was transient and limited to the first three months. The results were consistent with analyses limited to non-COVID applications. Our results show an increase in the times to approval after the implementation of an electronic system for online submission of health research applications that, although transient, was significant. These data could be relevant to other RECs implementing this technology since it emphasizes the need of monitoring potential unnecessary delays in reviews during the critical initial period.

Did anthropause generate a research pause during the pandemic? The experiences of a non-medical journal.

Contradicting expectations, a non-medical journal received increasing submissions during the pandemic, even though laboratories remained closed.Peer reviewers and handling editors were both more responsive and provided faster turnaround times during 2020.The reasons for increased submission to the journal may have been due to reanalysis of older data or extracting more findings from research done pre-pandemic.