DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e174548

Authors: Luciana Chavez Rodriguez, Guilherme Oyarzabal, Bruno Eleres Soares, Alejandra Guzmán Luna, César Marín

Abstract: A brain drain phenomenon, i.e., the migration of highly skilled professionals, has represented and still represents a severe loss of intellectual capital for Global South countries. Factors driving this migration include limited research infrastructure, funding constraints, political instability, and the lack of scientific career prospects in the Global South, and the consequences are multifaceted. While this can hinder local development in the Global South, it simultaneously enriches research ecosystems in the Global North, exacerbating existing global inequalities in science and technology. Under this scenario, scientific diasporas represent an effort to counterbalance the brain drain scenario through initiatives that aim to increase science and technology, which are led by self-organized expat professionals and scientists. While we can find some successful examples of international cooperation driven by scientific diasporas, without a proper organization and full participation of the governments of the countries of origin, scientific diasporas can become dysfunctional and can promote more migration upon training. We, five early-career scientists, discuss our perspectives and personal reflections on scientific diasporas. We describe three migration models of highly skilled professionals, starting with a brain drain model, scientific diaspora, and dysfunctional scientific diaspora, and provide some ideas to help the implementation of successful scientific diasporas. We believe that migration must be a personal decision seeking scientific growth and professional development, and not the only option we should have to pursue a fulfilling career in science.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e144181

Authors: Manfred Asiedu, Gideon Twieku, Rhoda Lims

Abstract: We propose to explore an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to malaria control by employing fish as biological agents to reduce mosquito populations. Given the rising challenges of insecticide resistance and the environmental concerns associated with chemical interventions, this project investigates the effectiveness of fish species in consuming mosquito larvae, thereby lowering the prevalence of malaria vectors. Through a combination of laboratory experiments, ecological assessments and community engagement in malaria-endemic regions, the project will identify optimal fish species for this purpose, assess their impact on local ecosystems and gauge community perspectives on adopting fish-based malaria control methods. Key objectives include evaluating predation efficiency, determining ecological compatibility, quantifying the reduction in malaria transmission and fostering local involvement to enhance sustainability. This innovative approach has the potential to provide a scalable, environmentally conscious solution for malaria management, contributing to global public health efforts and advancing sustainable disease control strategies.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e139375

Authors: Lane Rasberry, Daniel Mietchen

Abstract: Various sources describe Wikipedia's popularity in different ways, including by count of its users, frequency of use, and its utility as an information resource in many fields of knowledge. The Wikimedia Foundation has claimed that Wikipedia has reached billions of readers; commercial web traffic services have ranked Wikipedia as a top-10 website by popularity; and researchers analyzing demographic surveys and user behavior metrics have described Wikipedia readers in enough detail to identify general trends. Researchers note that Wikipedia traffic data is public for examination, and also that the Wikipedia volunteer editorial community invites transparency by developing ethical guidelines to encourage analysis of Wikipedia's impact. Although Wikipedia is popular and its audience metrics are accessible, Wikipedia is unlike comparable media platforms and services in that it is rarely the target of professional, expert, or sponsored content development. We review the literature describing Wikipedia, and offer commentary on the dual nature of Wikipedia as simultaneously a popular communication channel and a media outlet with little documented recognition for its success in reaching audiences.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e132939

Authors: Matt von Konrat, Yarency Rodriguez, Colleen Bailey, Gilbert Gwilliam III, Christine Christian, Blanka Aguero, June Ahn, Zoe Albion, James Allen, Colin Bailey, Erryn Blake, Winnie Blake, Gwen Blake, Laura Briscoe, Jessica Budke, Thomas Campbell, Matt Chansler, Dina Clark, Robin Delapena, Michael Denslow, Shari Ellis, Elizabeth Ellwood, Belle Ens, Nkosi Evans, Alejandra Fabian, Wyatt Gaswick, Kate Golembiewski, Sharon Grant, Kimberly Hansen, Brittany Janney, Janeen Jones, Zachary Kachian, Lucia Kawasaki, Olivia Leek, Kacee Kellum, Crystal Maier, Austin Mast, Joann Martinec, Paul Mayer, Melissa Mladek, Ainun Nadhifah, Christopher Neefus, Mary Nodulman, Margaret Oliver, Kelsey Overberg, A. Townsend Peterson, Ayesha Qazi-Lampert, Carl Rothfels, Robert Salm, Dawn Schreiner, Matthew Schreiner, Eric Tepe, Maureen Turcatel, Amelia Vega, Heaven Wade, Dianne Weinand, Kate Webbink, Todd Widhelm, Miranda Zwingelberg

Abstract: A comprehensive overview of volunteer-driven public programs focused on activities to enhance natural history collections (NHCs) is provided. The initiative revolves around the WeDigBio events and the Collections Club at the Field Museum, aiming to deepen the public's connection with scientific collections, enhance participatory science, and improve data associated with natural history specimens. The implementation and journey of these programs are outlined, including surveys conducted from 2015 through 2021 to gauge participant motivation, satisfaction, and the impact of these events on public engagement with NHCs. Results show trends in on-site and virtual volunteer participation over the years, especially during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of participants expressed high satisfaction, indicating a willingness to continue participating in similar activities. The surveys revealed a shift towards more altruistic motivations for participation over time, with increased emphasis on supporting the Field Museum and contributing to the scientific community. The success of participatory science events demonstrates the potential of volunteer-driven programs to contribute meaningfully to the preservation, digitisation, and understanding of biodiversity collections, ultimately transforming spectators into stewards of natural history. From 2015 to present participants celebrate a significant milestone, with over a thousand community scientists contributing to the inventorying, collection care, curation, databasing, or transcription of 286,071 specimens, objects or records. We also discuss accuracy and quality control as well as a checklist and recommendations for similar activities.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e124151

Authors: Yousef Gaballah

Abstract: Here we present a hypothesis that describes where junk DNA comes from in a pursuit of forming a well-established scientific theory. We suppose that junk DNA is added to our genomes by practical organisms via history (DNA fragments). The hypothesis is based on a number of facts such as oncoviruses and tumeor-causing bacteria. A set of experiments that aims to test our hypothesis is proposed as well. In addition to our main pursuit, we aspire to form a protocol that aims at discovering the "evolutional age" of various species.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e120910

Authors: Maame Ekua Acquah, Frank Aboagye, Yvonne Ashong, Lydia Mosi

Abstract: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects more than 200 million people and 45% of infections have been shown to occur in school-aged children. A large percentage of the disease burden lies in Africa. In 2012, the WHO outlined a roadmap for the elimination of schistosomiasis by 2020; however, this was not achieved. Treatment for schistosomiasis is by the use of Praziquantel, a drug in use for over 30 years and there is a concern for emerging drug resistance. There are several species of the genus Schistosoma causing infection in humans. For this study, Schistosoma mansoni which causes intestinal schistosomiasis will be investigated. There are reports of lowering cure rates and suboptimal response to praziquantel following several cycles of mass drug administration (MDA). Praziquantel resistance has also been reported in some countries and laboratory-bred schistosome experiments. To address the concerns of resistance, this study aims to employ a two-part approach to assess the prevalence of S. mansoni. praziquantel resistance among school-aged children in schistosomiasis endemic communities in Ghana and develop a diagnostic tool to aid in field assessment of infections. To achieve this, the study will attempt to answer the following research questions: 1. Is there developing S. mansoni praziquantel resistance in communities that have undergone several mass drug administrations? 2. Is there an interplay between intermediate host exposure to praziquantel and the development of praziquantel drug resistance in the definitive host?

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e102613

Authors: Slavena Peneva, Kristina Hristova, Anna Sapundzhieva, Boris Barov, Pavel Stoev, Margarita Grudova, Iva Kostadinova

Abstract: This document presents BiCIKL’s recognizable visual identity, including the project logo, visual identity guide, brochure, poster, document, presentation templates and website design and functionality developed in the first three months. These materials will ensure that BiCIKL is communicated effectively and professionally with the aim to raise awareness and build a community from the start of the project.The modern and user-friendly public website (bicikl-project.eu) provides an easy-to-navigate, continuously updated platform allowing fast access to general information about BiCIKL and its activities, operating on several levels. It also prominently features the participating project partners and Research Infrastructures and their extensive service portfolio.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e102612

Authors: Lyubomir Penev, Mariya Dimitrova, Georgi Zhelezov, Teodor Georgiev

Abstract: To the best of our knowledge, OpenBiodiv is the first production-stage  semantic  system running on top  of  a  reasonably-sized biodiversity knowledge graph. It stores biodiversity data in  a semantic interlinked format and offers facilities for working with it (Senderov et Penev 2016, Senderov et al.   2018, Penev et al. 2019, Dimitrova et al. 2021). It is a dynamic system that continuously updates its database as new biodiversity information becomes available by several international biodiversity publishers. It also allows its users to ask complex queries via SPARQL (a query language for semantic graph databases) and a simplified semantic search interface.OpenBiodiv was created during two EU-funded Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD projects: BIG4 (Grant Agreement No 642241) and IGNITE (Grant Agreement No 764840). During those projects, the backend Ontology-0, the first versions of RDF converters and the basic website functionalities have been created (see Dimitrova et al. 2021 for overview).After the start of the BiCIKL project, the entire workflow for processing and RDF conversion of full-text articles in XML and Plazi’s treatments in XML has been re-built using up-to-date technological solutions (such as Apache Kaka  and  Elasticsearch)  to  fully  automatise  and speed up the conversion process and to make it trackable and efficient. As a result, the entire graph content has been re-processed and indexed. New user applications described  in Milestone MS27 App specifications have been discussed and implemented.The present deliverable describes the newly built workflow and tools for data extraction, conversion and indexing and the user applications, created in the BiCIKL project.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e102609

Authors: Lyubomir Penev, Teodor Georgiev, Boris Barov, Pavel Stoev, Kristina Hristova

Abstract: The  main goal of the BiCIKL project is to improve, for the first time, seamless access, linking and usage tracking of data within a network of Research Infrastructures managing different data classes (literature, specimens, samples, occurrences, sequences, taxon names and Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU)), ultimately represented also in a biodiversity knowledge graph. To achieve this, the consortium members will operate with huge amount of data during and after the end of the project.As a Horizon 2020 project, BiCIKL conforms to the Open Research Data Pilot (ORDP)1 and   Article 29.3 of the H2020 Model Grant Agreement by default, hence the consortium aims to improve and maximise access, sharing, linking and reuse of FAIR Open Research Data (ORD), generated or managed by the project. A detailed Data Management Plan is a critical part of   the ORDP. The DMP described in the present document is developed in BiCIKL within the first  six months of the project and it will evolve as a “living document” during the lifetime of the project and beyond in order to present the status of the project's reflections on data management.The BiCIKL DMP outlines the handling of research data and provides the basis of the project consortium’s data management life cycle for the data collected, generated and processed by the participants in the project. The DMP also covers the methodologies and standards previously developed for data sharing and open access, curation  and  preservation.  The subject of the DMP is the management of research data. Personal data management  is covered by deliverable D9.1 Protection of Personal Data.The BiCIKL DMP was developed in close collaboration with all project partners and involved Research Infrastructures (RI) who provided information on their data management practices and policies in a questionnaire and planned generation, collection, and processing of data for the purposes of building a resilient data management strategy of the project which meets all criteria for open research.This DMP aims to adhere to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data management criteria of Horizon 20202.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e94687

Authors: Shweata Hegde, Ayush Garg, Peter Murray-Rust, Daniel Mietchen

Abstract: Ethical aspects of research are steadily receiving more attention, from descriptions of research that is proposed to be done to the documentation of ongoing research to reports about research already performed. One of the ways in which this trend manifests itself is the increasingly common addition of ethics statements to publications in fields like biomedicine, psychology or ethnography. Such ethics statements in publications provide the reader with a window into some of the practical yet typically hidden aspects of research ethics. As more and more publications are becoming available in full text and in machine readable formats through repositories like Europe PubMed Central, we propose to mine the literature for ethics statements and to extract information about the various aspects of research ethics that they address. The more standardized these statements are, the better the mined materials can be converted into structured and queryable information that can in turn be used to inform efforts towards higher levels of standardization in research ethics. This paper sketches out the motivation for such mining and outlines some methodological approaches that could be leveraged towards this end.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e70280

Authors: Lane Rasberry, Daniel Mietchen

Abstract: We present the design of a project to develop Wikipedia content on general vaccine safety and the COVID-19 vaccines, specifically. This proposal describes what a team would need to distribute public health information in Wikipedia in multiple languages in response to a disaster or crisis, and to measure and report the communication impact of the same. Researchers at the School of Data Science at the University of Virginia made this proposal in response to a February 2021 call from a sponsor which was seeking to share public health information to respond globally to vaccine hesitancy related to the COVID-19 vaccines. This proposal was not selected for funding, and now the research team is sharing the proposal here with an open copyright license for anyone to reuse and remix. Most of the text here is from the original proposal, but there are modifications to remove the names of the funder, named partners, and for other details to make this text more reusable. The budget in this proposal has been converted from a dollar amount to equivalent descriptions in terms of labor hours, and the timeline was adapted from absolute to relative months.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e68129

Authors: Daniel Mietchen, Lane Rasberry, Thais Morata, John Sadowski, Jeanette Novakovich, James Heilman

Abstract: In this era of information overload and misinformation, it is a challenge to rapidly translate evidence-based health information to the public. Viewership data following the Ebola crisis and during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that a significant number of readers located health guidance through Wikipedia and related projects, including its media repository Wikimedia Commons and structured data complement, Wikidata. In 2013, Wikipedia’s medical content consisted of more than 155,000 articles and 1 billion bytes of text in over 255 languages, and the number of views during that year surpassed 4 billion, making it the most viewed medical resource worldwide.The research idea discussed in this paper aims to increase and expedite health institutions' global reach to the general public, by developing a specific strategy to maximize the availability of focused content into Wikimedia’s public digital knowledge archives.  It was conceptualized from the experiences of leading health organizations such as Cochrane, the World Health Organization (WHO), Cancer Research UK, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, and CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Each has customized strategies to integrate content in Wikipedia and evaluate responses. The research idea is to develop an interactive guide on the Wikipedia and Wikidata platforms to support health agencies, health professionals and communicators in quickly distributing key messages during crisis situations. The guide aims to cover basic features of Wikipedia, including translation into multiple languages; automated metrics reporting; sharing non-text media; anticipating offline reuse of Wikipedia content in apps or virtual assistants such as Apple's Siri or Google Assistant; using Wikidata to collect, curate, and share data; and a discussion of other flagship projects from major health organizations. In the first phase, we propose the development of a curriculum for the guide using information from prior case studies. In the second phase, the guide would be tested on select health-related topics as new case studies. In its third phase, the guide would be finalized and disseminated.

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