PLOS ONE Alerts: New Articles

1. Comparison of case-based learning and traditional lecture in teaching residents on research misconduct: a controlled before-and-after study

   by Lulin Chen, Yizhao Li, Xiaoyan Guo, Wei Liu

   As scientific outputs continue to surge, research misconduct has garnered global attention. Case-based learning (CBL), an active student-centered learning strategy, possesses many advantages but has not been widely used in China due to resource constraints. This study aimed to address the research gap regarding the impact of CBL and traditional lecture on residents’ knowledge and attitudes towards research misconduct. This controlled before-and-after study was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in southwest China from November 2022 through March 2023. All medical residents at the two hospitals were defined as participants. Residents participating in CBL course at one hospital comprised the experimental group, whereas those engaging in traditional lecture at another hospital constituted the control group. The CBL and control group included 202 and 205 individuals, respectively. A total of 298 subjects were successfully matched after propensity score matching, with 149 individuals in each group. After the courses, the participants’ knowledge on research misconduct, perceived consequences for research misconduct, and their agreement rate regarding research misconduct improved in the CBL and control group (P < 0.05), but certain aspects of their perceived consequences and agreement rate did not show significant improvement in the control group. The results revealed that there is a marked enhancement in residents’ knowledge about research misconduct, their perception of its consequences, and their overall disapproval of such behavior in the CBL group. This underscores the effectiveness of CBL in fostering a deeper understanding and stronger aversion towards research misconduct among residents.
2. Comparative study of Taqman-based qPCR assay for the detection of <i>Anisakis simplex</i> and <i>Pseudoterranova decipiens</i>

   by Mi-Gyeong Kim, Min Ji Hong, Doo Won Seo, Hyun Mi Jung, Hyun-Ja Han, Seung Hwan Kim, Insun Joo

   Anisakidosis is a foodborne parasitic infection caused by the consumption of raw or uncooked seafood that contains third stage larvae from the Anisakidae family. This infection has been observed across the globe, with a particularly high prevalence in South Korea and Japan. Consequently, there is a necessity to compare and analyze the optimal detection methods with a view to preventing Anisakis outbreaks. In this study, a species-specific Taqman-based qPCR method was developed for the detection of the internal transcribed spacer region and mtDNA genes of Anisakis simplex and Pseudoterranova decipiens. Parasite-specific primer/probe sets were selected based on the data from domestic and foreign detection methods. In addition, we have designed our own primer/probe sets based on the target region of each parasite. A comprehensive literature review and a self-creation process were undertaken to select thirteen detection method sets for A. simplex and P. decipiens. The sensitivity of these sets was then evaluated by comparing the C_q values from extracted DNA. The concentrations of six primer/probe sets detected through the screening process were then compared to optimize the test method. The resultant optimized method demonstrated a limit of detection of 0.0019 ng/µL for A. simplex and 0.0001 ng/µL for P. decipiens. The specificity test also confirmed that there was no cross-activity with the five parasite samples and the three types of anisakids plasmid DNA. This study would contribute development of a rapid detection method for anisakidosis, providing a foundation for proactive responses to food poisoning outbreaks.
3. Evaluating language policy implementation in South African higher education - three decades of progress and challenges: A scoping review protocol

   by Silingene Joyce Ngcobo, Tracy Zhandire, Zamasomi Meyiwa Luvuno, Wilbroda Hlolisile Chiya, Celenkosini Thembelenkosini Nxumalo, Gugulethu Brightness Mazibuko, Busisiwe Purity Ncama, Sinegugu Evidence Duma, Deshini Naidoo

   Background

   South Africa’s higher education institutions (HEIs) continue to face challenges in implementing inclusive language policies that integrate indigenous African languages into academic settings, even three decades after apartheid. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges in integrating indigenous African languages into academic settings. Despite progressive reforms, higher education institutions face significant challenges in integrating indigenous African languages into academic settings.

   Objectives

   This scoping review aims to evaluate the current state of language policy implementation in South African public HEis. Specifically, it seeks to: (1) map the integration of multilingual policies into teaching, research, and administrative practices; (2) identify persistent barriers to effective policy implementation; (3) explore successful strategies for promoting multilingualism (4) assess the extent of African language usage in academic contexts; and (5) identify research gaps to guide future investigations.

   Methods

   The review will adhere to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and follow the framework outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, ensuring a systematic and transparent approach. A comprehensive search will be conducted in databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and African Journals Online (AJOL), covering studies published from 1994 to the present. This will be supplemented by grey literature from government and institutional sources. Three independent reviewers will screen studies using predefined eligibility criteria, managing and screening articles through Rayyan. Data will be extracted using a standardized form, and thematic analysis will synthesize the findings, with stakeholder consultation to validate results.

   Expected outcomes

   This review will provide a comprehensive assessment of language policy implementation, highlighting successful strategies and persistent challenges across institutions. The findings will inform policy refinement, identify effective practices, and guide future research directions for achieving linguistically inclusive higher education in South Africa, while contributing to a broader understanding of implementing multilingual policies in post-colonial educational contexts.This protocol is preregistered on OSF, available at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AU2SD

4. A scoping review of the incentives for promoting the adoption of agroecological practices and outcomes among rice farmers in Vietnam

   by Sylvester Ogutu, Jonathan Mockshell, Thai Minh, Roseline Remans

   Recent research and development efforts to achieve sustainable rice production in Vietnam have incorporated agroecological principles and practices. These efforts have come as a result of increasing pressure on food systems to achieve global food security. Growing food demand, rising population, climate change, and natural resources degradation, make it necessary to transform the current production systems towards more sustainable models. Agroecology is being promoted as one of the pathways to transition toward sustainable food production, with broad adoption requiring incentives for farmers. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of 120 articles to understand the incentives applied for promoting agroecological practices, whether and how the incentives promote the adoption of agroecological practices, and their relationship with economic, environmental, and social outcomes among rice farmers in Vietnam. Such in-depth reviews of the role of incentives in the agroecological transition are scarce. Results show that in about 60% of the articles, incentives led to adoption, outcomes (e.g., yield and income gains), or both, suggesting the importance and common use of incentives among rice farmers in Vietnam. Four types of incentives used were market, non-market, regulatory, and cross-compliance. These incentives directly or indirectly influenced outcomes through the adoption of agroecological practices. Market incentives (33%) were relatively more important for directly influencing outcomes, while non-market incentives (50%) were more important for indirectly influencing outcomes. Market, non-market, and regulatory incentives were more associated with the adoption of new agronomic practices, such as farm diversification, improved varieties, and organic agriculture than with other practices, while cross-compliance incentives were more highly associated with adoption of agroforestry. Generally, the incentives used were more associated with economic outcomes (56%), than with environmental (31%), and social (13%) outcomes. Overall, the results show that incentives influence outcomes differently, and a combination of different incentives is required to achieve holistic outcomes.
5. Roasting temperature and fat type influence cholesterol oxidation products, fatty acid composition, physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of beef sausages

   by Kazeem Dauda Adeyemi, Latifat Opeyemi Abdulkadir

   The impact of fat type (FT) and roasting temperature (RT) on oxysterols, physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of beef sausages were investigated. Beef sausages were formulated with either 20% Beef tallow (BT), Palm olein (PO) or Soybean oil (SO), and oven-cooked at either 180^oC for 30 min or 240^oC for 15 min. The BT, PO, and SO sausages had the highest (P<0.05) levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), respectively. Roasting at 240°C increased PUFA, MUFA, and total cholesterol levels, and reduced SFA moisture, and fat levels (P<0.05). The FT × RT interaction was significant for oxysterols, instrumental color and cook loss. The SO-180 sausages had higher levels of 7-ketocholesterol, 5,6β-epoxy cholesterol, cholesta-3,5-dien-7-one, and total oxysterols, but these levels decreased significantly at 240°C. The BT sausages exhibited lower overall cholesterol oxidation, though 22R-hydroxycholesterol was elevated at 180°C, while the PO sausages showed intermediate oxysterol oxidation, with 7α-hydroxycholesterol increasing at 240°C (P<0.05). The SO sausages had higher TBARS compared to other sausages (P<0.05). The BT sausages had greater lightness and lower cook loss at 240°C, while redness increased in both BT and SO sausages at 240^oC (P<0.05). The BT sausages had higher hardness and chewiness. The PO sausages had better taste scores than the BT sausages, with similar results to SO sausages, and both PO and SO sausages had higher appearance and overall acceptance scores than the BT sausages. Fat type and roasting temperature synergistically affect oxysterol levels and quality attributes of beef sausages, highlighting the importance of selecting suitable fats and roasting conditions to ensure safety, nutritional value, and sensory quality.