Peers in Systematic Review: Gate Keeping Understandings of Research in the Field

In this chapter, the role of scholarly peers in systematic review is analysed and discussed. Peer evaluation is an essential element of quality assurance of the strictly defined methods of systematic review. The involvement of scholarly peers in the systematic review processes has similarities with traditional peer review processes in academic publishing, but also important differences. Drawing on an analysis of the functions of peers in systematic review relevant questions for all peers are raised regarding what peer work is about and what peers in varied academic contexts including systematic review are ‘gatekeepers’ of? In systematic review, peers are not only making re-judgements of already reviewed and published research but also gatekeeping the given standards, guidelines and procedures of the review method. The analysis lays a groundwork for a debate on peers in different contexts framed by different processes with different purposes, and questions whether a peer review is the same when the premise of the scholarly activity changes.

Medical Writing: Challenges in the Contemporary Era

Publication of a research article in medical journal is reflection of scholarly activity and academic credentials.1 History of medical writing dates back to very ancient times but in the contemporary era, medical writing has been changed a lot and also changing continuously with each passing day

Monastic Pathways on the Fourth and Fifth Hills of Constantinople (Eleventh–Fifteenth Centuries)

The area between the so-called Fourth and Fifth hills of Constantinople is known for its monasteries, especially those from the Komnenian and Palaiologan periods. In general, this part of the city was less urbanised and was therefore suitable for monastic life, but it was intimately connected with various aspects of social, economic, and scholarly activity. The present article examines monuments and itineraries in this area within the urban context and the ceremonial topography of medieval Constantinople in order to highlight the place of these monastic neighborhoods in the Byzantine capital’s public life.

Global Health Education and Best Practices for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Trainees

Neonatal-perinatal medicine (NPM) trainees are expressing an increased interest in global health. NPM fellowship programs are tasked with ensuring that interested fellows receive appropriate training and mentorship to participate in the global health arena. Global health engagement during fellowship varies based on a trainee’s experience level, career goals, and academic interests. Some trainees may seek active learning opportunities through clinical rotations abroad whereas others may desire engagement through research or quality improvement partnerships. To accommodate these varying interests, NPM fellows and training programs may choose to explore institutional partnerships, opportunities through national organizations with global collaborators, or domestic opportunities with high-risk populations. During any global health project, the NPM trainee needs robust mentorship from professionals at both their home institution and their partner international site. Trainees intending to use their global health project to fulfill the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) scholarly activity requirement must also pay particular attention to selecting a project that is feasible during fellowship and also meets ABP criteria for board eligibility. Above all, NPM fellows and training programs should strive to ensure equitable, sustainable, and mutually beneficial collaborations.

American Polonia in Scientific Activity of the Institute of Polonia Ministry and Migration and the Institute for the Study of Polish Community and Its Ministry in 1972-2006

The article aims to show the presence of American Polonia in the scholarly activity of Institute for the Study of Polish Community and Its Ministry and Institute for the Study of Polish Community and Its Ministry. In the 1970s and 1980s a huge interest in Polish diaspora achievements in the USA was visible in many scientific articles, texts, and monographs published in the yearbook Studia Polonijne. American Polonia has become an object of multidimensional and interdisciplinary research, which turned to be the pioneer ones in some cases.

Fukushima as Australia's nuclear heritage

On 11 March 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resultant tsunami caused a full meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant located on the island of Honshu, on the east coast of Japan. It took 4 weeks for the radionuclides to circumnavigate the Earth and descend into the Southern hemisphere. Although scholarly activity has continued apace in relation to different aspects of Fukushima as an event and site, very little of this work has examined the implications of Australian uranium being found inside several of Fukushima Daiichi's reactors at the time of the disaster. This paper explores Fukushima as a central, yet heretofore neglected, artefact of Australia's cultural and environmental heritage.

Energizing scholarly activity in a regional medical campus

Implication Statement Medical education is increasingly delivered at distributed sites away from Academic Health Sciences Centres. The Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine recommends schools develop resources and metrics to foster regional campus scholarly activity. Opportunities for distributed program trainees must support learning core skills in research and critical appraisal to comply with medical school accreditation standards and to develop their interests and skills in scholarly work for their future medical careers. We describe a scholarly activity program that is a template for distributed campuses or regional teaching sites seeking to increase learner and faculty engagement and research productivity.