F1000Research最新文献

Background: Academic integrity is presented as a complex, multidimensional concept that involves all members of an educational institution. However, non-teaching staff members are often excluded from research on academic integrity. I engaged in professional support alongside academic staff to explore how academic integrity is understood within the Mauritius branch of a UK higher education institution.

Methods: I adopted a qualitative approach to engage those tasked with implementing academic integrity to examine how they understood and practised it. Data were gathered through face-to-face focus-group interviews, which were translated into themes.

Results: This article identified the factors that make academic integrity challenging and presents recommendations for practitioners and researchers.

Conclusions: More energy should be invested in the processes that build cultures of integrity rather than focusing on the opposite, such as cheating, plagiarism, and misconduct. Academic integrity is ultimately a positive values-driven approach to learning and a skill that can be developed and strengthened.

Background: A pressing challenge in science education is that visually impaired students continue to lack access to appropriate instructional media, making it difficult for them to engage with abstract concepts and resulting in limited opportunities for equitable education. Responding to this challenge, the present study investigates the design and implementation of hands-on, multisensory instructional strategies aimed at improving conceptual understanding of magnetism among elementary students with visual impairments.

Method: The research involved four elementary school students with varying degrees of visual acuity. Employing the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) framework, the research was divided into 3 stages: needs analysis (A) using explanatory case study, design and develop (DD) instructional media and validate using Aiken's V, implement and evaluate (IE) the media into classroom activity using evaluative case study.

Result: The findings indicate that tactile models, auditory explanations, and adapted activity kits significantly improved students' engagement and comprehension of key magnetism concepts such as magnetic properties, forces, and polarity. Through an evaluative case study, the research demonstrates that instructional materials tailored to the sensory and cognitive profiles of visually impaired learners not only foster deeper conceptual understanding but also promote greater participation and confidence in science learning.

Conclusions: Multisensory science kits help students access abstract science material so that it can be felt and helps achieve conceptual understanding. Moreover, the results may inform teachers, curriculum designers, and science education professionals on how to design and adapt science content in ways that are both accessible and pedagogically sound.

Background: This study aimed to document the occurrence of the Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus in King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve (KSRNR), Hail region, Saudi Arabia, where its presence had not previously been confirmed.

Methods: Field surveys were conducted in the Hail region, and direct observations were documented using photographic and video evidence. The colony was visually counted in the field during a single daytime visit from an estimated distance of 15 meters.

Results: More than 50 individuals, including adults and juveniles, were observed roosting in a rock crevice. The photographic documentation confirms the presence of a colony of R. aegyptiacus in this area, extending the known distribution of the species into a previously unrecorded region of Saudi Arabia.

Conclusions: These findings provide the first photographic record of R. aegyptiacus in KSRNR and highlight the species' ecological use of arid rock crevices. The results emphasize the need for targeted surveys and long-term monitoring to better understand the distribution and conservation of this species in desert environments.

Rural tourism remains underexplored compared to urban and luxury destinations, yet it offers significant potential for sustainable development. Travel influencers, through digital storytelling and endorsements, are increasingly shaping tourist perceptions and reducing uncertainties about homestays. This study examines the impact of influencer endorsements on homestay intentions, utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior as a guiding framework. Data from 216 urban tourists in Northern and Central India were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Findings reveal that rural image perception is the strongest predictor of homestay intentions, while subjective norms play a weaker but significant role. Influencer endorsements affect behaviour indirectly by enhancing destination image rather than exerting direct persuasion. The study advances the Theory of Planned Behavior by demonstrating the primacy of cognitive evaluations over normative pressures in the context of rural tourism. Practical implications underscore the need for destination marketers and homestay operators to utilize authentic storytelling and image-building strategies to effectively promote rural tourism.

Digital Marketing is one of the most important channels for promoting products and services in the modern age of marketing. It leverages popular tools, including social and web-based resources, to promote a brand in an online space. As consumers become aware of environmental degradation, researchers and academicians are immensely capturing consumers' responses towards brands that minimize environmental impact. The present study is an attempt to provide a bibliometric account of research on Digital Marketing and Sustainable Food and Beverage Brands from the Scopus database. Based on 53 articles filtered through well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria using B-SLR, the study analysed the conceptual structure of the work published between 2014-2024. This research uncovers emerging research streams and highlights the overlooked nuances of SDM in Food and Beverage brands. The review further provides strategic insights for firms that actively engage customers through digital media.

Background: Research on resilience and motivation among incarcerated populations has expanded substantially over the past century, reflecting a broader shift in penal philosophy from punitive control toward rehabilitation and reintegration. However, this literature remains fragmented across disciplines, conceptually heterogeneous, and geographically uneven, with a strong concentration in Western contexts. This limits theoretical integration and constrains the global applicability of existing models.

Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 1,309 publications indexed between 1912 and 2024. Co-occurrence, citation, collaboration, and temporal overlay analyses were performed using VOSviewer to map thematic structures, intellectual influences, and patterns of knowledge production. Inclusion criteria targeted peer-reviewed and scholarly works addressing resilience and/or motivation in correctional settings.

Results and discussion: The analysis reveals a temporal shift from early psychological adjustment and behavioral control models toward integrated frameworks emphasizing resilience, motivation, rehabilitation, and post-release reintegration. Emerging themes include trauma-informed care, addiction recovery, human rights, and reentry processes, while gender-specific, cross-cultural, and socioeconomic reintegration perspectives remain underdeveloped. Citation and collaboration networks demonstrate strong institutional concentration in North America and Western Europe, reflecting structural and epistemic asymmetries that shape dominant theoretical paradigms. Although interdisciplinary integration has increased, comparative and culturally grounded research remain limited.

Conclusions: This review synthesizes a century of research into a coherent intellectual map, identifying key trends, gaps, and structural imbalances in the field. The findings highlight the need for more inclusive, culturally responsive, and structurally informed research frameworks that integrate psychological, institutional, and social dimensions of rehabilitation. Advancing this agenda is essential for developing correctional policies and interventions that are both empirically robust and globally relevant.

Background: The cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor is the primary target of Δ ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ ⁹-THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis sativa (commonly known as "kif" in Morocco).

Methods: Here, we identified novel CB1 agonists using virtual screening approaches. First, we developed a pharmacophore model based on the known CB1 agonist AM11542 and screened a database of over three million compounds. Molecular docking using AutoDock Vina identified 61 hits with binding affinities of less than -9.00 Kcal/mol. Subsequent ADME-Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) analysis narrowed the selection to 18 promising candidates.

Results: Among these, three agonists exhibited strong characteristics, including a favorable inhibition constant (Ki) and key hydrogen-bond interactions with critical residues in the CB1 binding pocket: PUBChem157251136 (Ki=2.09 nM), ZINC64438485 (Ki= 0.262 nM) and ZINC64438506 (Ki =0.244 nM). These agonists formed stable hydrogen bonds with CB1 binding pocket residues (Ser383, Ser173, His178 and Thr197). Molecular dynamics simulations (100 ns, GROMACS) demonstrated structural stability (RMSD < 1 nm) and low conformational flexibility (RMSF < 1 nm) for all complexes. MM-GBSA binding free energy calculations further confirmed the thermodynamic stability of all complexes, with interaction energies ranging from -30.59 to -49.98 kcal/mol. These comprehensive simulations confirm that all identified agonist complexes maintain stable binding conformations with optimal interaction profiles characteristic of CB1 receptor activation.

Conclusion: These results could pave the way for researching and developing new quinazolinz-2, 4(1H, 3H)-Dione derivatives as a new class of CB1 receptor agonists.

Background: This study examines the types of organizational structures in privately chartered universities in Western Uganda and how these structures impact academic staff performance. Grounded in Henri Fayol's Administrative Management Theory and Vroom's Expectancy Theory, this study integrates structural and motivational perspectives to explore the impact of institutional design on academic operations.

Method: A concurrent triangulation research design was employed to combine quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 186 academic staff members using structured questionnaires and 10 academic deans through in-depth interviews.

Results: Quantitative findings revealed that functional and hierarchical structures were the most common, with 55.4% of respondents reporting highly centralized decision-making and 42.5% reporting poor communication flow. A significant positive correlation was observed between organizational structure and academic staff performance (r = 0.512, p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that organizational structure explained 26.2% of the variance in academic staff performance (R ² = 0.262, F (1, 184) = 65.46, p < 0.001). Qualitative data supported these results, with participants highlighting that rigid and bureaucratic structures limit flexibility, innovation, and collaboration, whereas excessive centralization undermines academic autonomy ( Yusoff & Isa, 2021).

Conclusion: The study concludes that, while traditional structures dominate private chartered universities, they often hinder academic performance. To enhance staff effectiveness, universities should adopt adaptive and participatory structures ( Berkowitz, 2023). Aligning Fayol's principles of work specialization, centralization, and communication flow with Vroom's motivational framework offers a strategic path for organizational improvement.

Mangroves are ecosystems that link freshwater, land, and oceans. They are also home to vast biodiversity of species and provide vital resources to many coastal communities worldwide. However, in various parts of the world, these natural ecosystems have been subjected to anthropogenic actions that compromise their subsistence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse seasonal changes in vegetation cover in the La Caimanera marsh (Colombia) using remote sensing and satellite sensor imagery. Methodologically, machine learning techniques were used, including semi-supervised and supervised learning, using Landsat, Copernicus, and Planet images. The influence of mangrove vegetation cover on pollutants was explored using remote sensing data and in-situ measurements. The results obtained indicated that in 2015 and 2024, the ecosystem showed stability, with slight reductions in mangrove cover and water bodies. In contrast, a slight increase in urbanized areas was also evident. The NDWI, MNDWI, OC3, and QAA spectral indices were used to monitor water dynamics and water quality. The results reflected stability in water conditions between 2010 and 2020, with a slight reduction in 2023. The increase in chlorophyll-a and reduction in turbidity in 2023 showed alterations in water quality. In addition, the predominance of mature mangrove trees, which comprised 83% of the vegetation, is noteworthy, reflecting a healthy and stable ecosystem. The greater density and homogeneity of the mangrove canopy observed in this study suggests a positive ecosystem response and greater resilience to past environmental changes. It is concluded that the changes experienced by the La Caimanera marsh reflect a balance between conservation and development, highlighting the effectiveness of territorial management policies implemented to maintain the ecosystem's resilience in the face of human pressures.

Background: Astaxanthin, a red xanthophyll carotenoid, is a powerful antioxidant, anticancer, and glucose and lipid homeostasis regulator. Some pigmented yeasts belonging to the genus Rhodotorula, the well-known yeast for beta-carotene production, have been reported as natural astaxanthin producers. However, the lack of genomic data on astaxanthin-producing strains within these species hinders the identification of biosynthetic routes, molecular characterization of these pathways, and gene editing applications.

Methods: This study explored the diversity and astaxanthin production capability of cultivable pigmented yeast in flower samples. The astaxanthin production ability was inspected by three consecutive methods, including thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for the preliminary step, followed by quantitative spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for qualitative validation. The draft genome sequence and astaxanthin-producing genes of astaxanthin-producing yeasts were examined.

Results: Twelve of 23 yeasts from floral samples exhibited natural pigmentation, with colors ranging from pinkish-orange to red, and exhibited the potential for astaxanthin synthesis. These yeasts were Rhodotorula paludigena (three strains) and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (nine strains). Among R. mucilaginosa strains, HL26-1 had the greatest astaxanthin content (104.98 ± 0.13 μg/g DCW) and yield (0.9280 ± 0.0012 mg/L). Strain LL69-1 has the greatest astaxanthin content (251.78 ± 0.27 μg/g DCW) and yield (1.8632 ± 0.0023 mg/L) among R. paludigena strains. The 18.78 Mbp R. mucilaginosa HL26-1 genome includes 5,711 protein-coding genes. Conversely, the R. paludigena LL69-1 genome was 20.99 Mbp, encompassing 6,782 predicted genes. A comprehensive investigation of draft genome sequences of these two strains identified CrtE, CrtYB, CrtI, CrtS, and CrtR as potential astaxanthin transcription genes.

Conclusion: Here, our results highlight the outstanding potential of two naturally pigmented yeasts, R. mucilaginosa HL26-1 and R. paludigena LL69-1, for astaxanthin production. Furthermore, our findings provide information on the whole genome and protein-encoded genes associated with astaxanthin production, which serve as valuable biological resources for various biotechnological applications.