Abstract
This study was guided by previous research highlighting the significance of journal publishers' commercial or non‐profit orientations in shaping academic editors' perspectives regarding the ...necessity of enhancing editorial and business practices. There is limited understanding of how the editor–publisher relationship varies based on publishers' commercial orientation. This study revealed five key factors influencing editors' attitudes towards how publishers strive to provide high‐quality publications: (i) availability of high‐quality publication services; (ii) sufficient technological support and access to visibility‐related data; (iii) accessible marketing and indexing services; (iv) access to continuous education for the editorial team; and (v) a balance between editorial autonomy and publisher support in managing the journal. The study indicated that editors partnering with commercial publishers tended to receive more extensive and advanced services, better technological support, and more training opportunities, contributing to the production of superior end products. However, working with commercial publishers resulted in the trade‐off of less editorial independence, which sometimes compromised editors' decision‐making ability and made them feel uncertain about their further involvement. The study's findings highlighted the importance of publishers adopting a more strategic approach to support their editorial staff, while considering the unique needs of each journal.
Meticulous self-evaluative practices in the offices of academic periodicals can be helpful in reducing widespread uncertainty about the quality of scholarly journals. This paper summarizes the ...results of the second part of a qualitative worldwide study among 258 senior editors of scholarly journals across disciplines. By means of a qualitative questionnaire, the survey investigated respondents’ perceptions of needed changes in their own editorial workflow that could, according to their beliefs, positively affect the quality of their journals. The results show that the most relevant past improvements indicated by respondents were achieved by: (a) raising the required quality criteria for manuscripts, by defining standards for desk rejection and/or shaping the desired qualities of the published material, and (b) guaranteeing a rigorous peer review process. Respondents believed that, currently, three areas have the most pressing need for amendment: ensuring higher overall quality of published articles (26% of respondents qualified this need as very high or high), increasing the overall quality of peer-review reports (23%), and raising reviewers’ awareness of the required quality standards (20%). Bivariate analysis shows that respondents who work with non-commercial publishers reported an overall greater need to improve implemented quality assessment processes. Work overload, inadequate reward systems, and a lack of time for development activities were cited by respondents as the greatest obstacles to implementing necessary amendments.
Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a relatively new tool that has been introduced into the legislative system of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. To streamline its implementation, all ...three countries have decided to conduct a pilot RIA in a very similar area - administrative burden on enterprises. Although the circumstances and rationale for preparing a pilot RIA differ from country to country, all three struggle with inadequate political support, institutional arrangements and lack of clear methodologies. This paper aims to compare the formal arrangements that have introduced RIA into their national systems and their experience with piloting RIA. It argues that the piloting was kidnapped by the agenda of administrative burden and business-oriented RIA, which served the substantive discussion rather than the potential pedagogical or demonstrative effects that the pilot could have brought.
Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a relatively new tool that has been introduced into the legislative system of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. To streamline its implementation, all ...three countries have decided to conduct a pilot RIA in a very similar area - administrative burden on enterprises. Although the circumstances and rationale for preparing a pilot RIA differ from country to country, all three struggle with inadequate political support, institutional arrangements and lack of clear methodologies. This paper aims to compare the formal arrangements that have introduced RIA into their national systems and their experience with piloting RIA. It argues that the piloting was kidnapped by the agenda of administrative burden and business-oriented RIA, which served the substantive discussion rather than the potential pedagogical or demonstrative effects that the pilot could have brought. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
When seeking the most effective response to plagiarism in an academic community, academic institutions need to re-examine their founding mission and core values. Traditionally among them is the ...constant striving of members of the academic community towards academic excellence. Excellence presupposes high quality creative works produced within the institution that comply with pre-set standards. Written academic works are partially based on the original ideas and concepts of academic authors and necessarily also on the accumulated knowledge encompassed by previous creative works. Academic excellence requires a clear distinction between these two categories and directs members of the community towards intellectual honesty when using the works of other authors. The problem of academic plagiarism is age-old. However, in our contemporary, technologically advanced society, which challenges some of the core principles of the (legal) protection of creative works (such as originality and copying), plagiarism is gaining new meanings. Academic institutions throughout the world are being challenged to either re-examine or establish new mechanisms for the monitoring and prevention of plagiarism. As autonomous teaching institutions, universities have two decisive functions. Firstly, they independently determine their internal standards and regulations related to the quality of written works produced within their community. Secondly, as part of managing the learning process, academic institutions instruct and teach the members of their community about the (mis)use of creative works. The responses of academic institutions to the problem of plagiarism are diverse and address general problems as well as nation/institution-specific issues. In Slovene academic institutions this debate is relatively new and the first anti-plagiarism guidelines are being drafted.
Glioblastoma is simultaneously the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumor in the central nervous system, with poor patient survival and scarce treatment options. Most primary ...glioblastomas reoccur and evolve radio- and chemoresistant properties which make them resistant to further treatments. Based on gene mutations and expression profiles, glioblastoma is relatively well classified; however, research shows that there is more to glioblastoma biology than that defined solely by its genetic component. Specifically, the overall malignancy of the tumor is also influenced by the dynamic communication to its immediate and distant environment, as important messengers to neighboring cells in the tumor microenvironment extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been identified. EVs and their cargo can modulate the immune microenvironment and other physiological processes, and can interact with the host immune system. They are involved in tumor cell survival and metabolism, tumor initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. However, on the other hand EVs are thought to become an effective treatment alternative, since they can cross the blood-brain barrier, are able of specific cell-targeting and can be loaded with various therapeutic molecules.
BackgroundSequencing of SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive samples was introduced in Slovenia in January 2021. Our surveillance programme comprised three complementary schemes: (A) non-targeted sequencing of at ...least 10% of samples, (B) sequencing of samples positive after PCR screening for variants of concern (VOC) and (C) sequencing as per epidemiological indication.AimWe present the analysis of cumulative data of the non-targeted surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and variant-dependent growth kinetics for the five most common variants in Slovenia for the first 9 months of 2021.MethodsSARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive samples, from January to September 2021, were selected for sequencing according to the national surveillance plan. Growth kinetics studies were done on Vero E6 cells.ResultsAltogether 15,175 genomes were sequenced and 64 variants were detected, of which three successively prevailed. Variant B.1.258.17 was detected in ca 80% of samples in January and was replaced, within 9 weeks, by the Alpha variant. The number of cases decreased substantially during the summer of 2021. However, the introduction of the Delta variant caused a fourth wave and completely outcompeted other variants. Other VOC were only detected in small numbers. Infection of Vero E6 cells showed higher replication rates for the variants Alpha and Delta, compared with B.1.258.17, B.1.258, and B.1.1.70, which dominated in Slovenia before the introduction of the Alpha and Delta variants.ConclusionInformation on SARS-CoV-2 variant diversity provided context to the epidemiological data of PCR-positive cases, contributed to control of the initial spread of known VOC and influenced epidemiological measures.
PDF
