Academic publishing is at a critical juncture. The challenges faced by the academics are mired in controversy. Among theseare three hotly debated concerns. First is the issue of whether technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI)improves research efficiency or if its use sacrifices research integrity.Another is the controversy between paywall publishingand open access. Lastly, adapting an appropriate business model for sustainability is a contentious issue and the choice betweena commercial or a university-based publishing platform is a difficult one.

Traditional models of scientific investigation relied on tedious intellectual calisthenics in all aspects of research —identifying research gaps, reviewing of published literature, devising valid methodology, collecting data, analysing results, and,finally, drawing conclusions. With the advent of powerful tools employing artificial intelligence, these heavy tasks are efficientlycarried out. The dilemma lies in determining which parts of the work can be attributed to the authors and which are ascribedto the output of large language models (LLMs) and other automated assistance employed.Despite requiring adequate vettingby experts of these AI-aided output, many in the scientific community still question these methods. Can research employingAI be considered honest work? Will full disclosure answer doubts as to the integrity of the scientific work?

Indeed, LLMs just gather information that is already out there, albeit more efficiently. After all, science progresses bystanding on the shoulder of giants. AI makes such work comprehensive and efficient. Standing on those proverbial shoulders,however, require access to prior work, hence our next challenge in academic publishing--open access versus paid access.Paywalls limit the benefits of valuable research to institutions and universities with the capacity to pay. Excluded from these arethose from low resourced countries, with nations from the global south being affected disproportionately. Additionally, whilenumerous authors appreciate the features of open access as it improves their impact and visibility, many feel unduly burdenedsince the cost of publishing in this format is passed on to them.

This brings us to our third issue: who bears the cost of academic publishing? Indeed, it is a lucrative industry, generatingan annual revenue of US$19 billion and an estimated 40 percent profit margin. Many, however, find fault in this businessmodel as concerns about the profit motives of the commercial publishers far overshadow their sustainability goals.

How do we navigate this landscape of controversies? We, at the ACTA, as part of the community of scholars, would needto clarify our mission. Our goals for this publication should be consistent with our values. These values, such as scientific rigor,integrity, and accountability, should be reflected in our policies. We should be cognizant of the role we play in national scientificdiscourse while we endeavor to make an impact in the global scene. We are accountable to our stakeholders — nurturingearly career scholars, supplying evidence to health policymakers, and being accountable to those who provide resources tosustain us. This stewardship is essential so that ACTA will stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants on which science buildsupon to benefit future generations.

Artificial Intelligence ; Commerce ; Costs And Cost Analysis ; Disclosure ; Drawing ; Efficiency ; Family Characteristics ; Forecasting ; Goals ; Gymnastics ; Health ; Health Resources ; Industry ; Intelligence ; Inventions ; Language ; Literature ; Methods ; Play And Playthings ; Policy ; Publications ; Publishing ; Research ; Residence Characteristics ; Role ; Science ; Shoulder ; Social Responsibility ; Universities ; Ursidae ; Volition ; Work ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVES

Adiposity rebound (AR), the childhood period at which body mass index (BMI) rises from its lowest point, is linked to increased risk of later obesity. The study aims to determine the average age at AR, describe baseline characteristics and analyze the correlation between these characteristics and timing of AR in a population of Filipino pediatric outpatients.

DESIGN

Seven subjects born between 2016 and 2019 from a University Hospital Outpatient Department participated in this cross-sectional analytic study. Childhood anthropometrics were retrospectively collected to determine the age at AR by plot visual inspection. Sex, birth weight and gestational age were obtained from hospital records; breastfeeding duration, maternal BMI, parental obesity, maternal age, maternal smoking, education, parity and family income were gathered through a questionnaire completed by mothers or guardians. Associations were assessed using bootstrap univariate linear regression.

RESULTS

The mean age at AR was 3.2 years (SD = 1.2). Vaginal delivery was significantly associated with later age at AR compared to cesarean section (p = 0.035). Socioeconomic status at ages 2 to 5 showed positive association with delayed AR. Higher monthly family income (≥₱19,000) at ages 2 to 5 years was significantly associated with delayed age at AR. Other baseline childhood and parental factors showed no significant correlation with age at AR.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the complex and context-dependent nature of AR, emphasizing the need for further studies to better understand and mitigate early obesity risk in Filipino children.

Human ; Young Adult: 19-24 Yrs Old ; Universities ; Regression (psychology) ; Hospital Records ; Gestational Age ; Body Mass Index ; Obesity, Maternal

OBJECTIVES

Clinical pathways (CPs) ensure adherence to heart failure (HF) management guidelines. To optimize quality care in a low resource setting, an evidence-based care pathway for the management of acute HF was implemented at the emergency department (ED) of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the designated national tertiary hospital and referral center. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of adults with acute HF admitted at the ED and evaluate the quality of care they received, measured using physician adherence to the hospital’s acute heart failure CP.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, descriptive cohort study. We reviewed the inpatient charts of all adult patients with acute HF admitted to the ED of the PGH and referred to the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine between December 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023. Quality of care was assessed based on adherence to quality indicators adapted from routine and conditional order sets detailed in the pathway. Descriptive statistics was utilized to describe patient characteristics, quality of care, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Two hundred thirty-six (236) patients were included, with a mean age of 51.8 years. Majority were male (53.4%); hypertension (61.4%) and ischemic heart disease (53.8%) were the most common comorbidities, and infection the most common precipitant of decompensation (60.6%). There were optimal adherence rates to routine orders, which included referrals to Internal Medicine and Cardiology, baseline vital signs monitoring, fluid intake and output monitoring, chest radiograph, complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, arterial blood gas, urinalysis, and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide. Conditional orders, such as oxygen support, focused echocardiography, thyroid - stimulating hormone, and the use of vasopressors, diuretics, and venous thromboembolism prophylactic agents, were optimally performed when warranted. However, we noted suboptimal adherence to certain resource-intensive conditional orders, such as hourly monitoring of urine output (61.4%), hooking to cardiac monitor (53.8%), and performance of 12-lead ECG within 10 minutes (56.8%). Further, only 43.9% of patients were referred to the intensive care unit. Troponin I, calcium, magnesium, and albumin were ordered in excess.

CONCLUSION

Overall adherence rate of physicians to the hospital’s Acute Heart Failure Pathway was satisfactory. Work is needed to improve adherence to hourly urine output monitoring, consistent hooking to cardiac monitor, and timely performance of 12-lead ECG – an effort that begins with expanding in-hospital diagnostic equipment and human resource supply. We recommend continuous pathway implementation with periodic evaluation and stakeholder feedback to further improve quality of care.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged: 45-64 Yrs Old ; Adult ; Albumins ; Blood ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Calcium ; Cardiology ; Chart ; Charts ; Cohort Studies ; Critical Care ; Critical Pathways ; Diagnostic Equipment ; Disease ; Diuretics ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Equipment And Supplies ; Evaluation Studies As Topic ; Feedback ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Hormones ; Hospitals ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Indicators And Reagents ; Infection ; Infections ; Inpatients ; Intensive Care Units ; Internal Medicine ; Lead ; Magnesium ; Male ; Medicine ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Natriuretic Peptides ; Nitrogen ; Overall ; Oxygen ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Patients ; Peptides ; Philippines ; Physicians ; Potassium ; Prothrombin ; Prothrombin Time ; Quality Of Health Care ; Referral And Consultation ; Sodium ; Statistics ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax ; Thromboembolism ; Thromboplastin ; Thyroid Gland ; Time ; Troponin ; Troponin I ; Universities ; Urea ; Urinalysis ; Urine ; Venous Thromboembolism ; Vital Signs ; Work ; Workforce

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to create a study protocol that will explore UST administrators’ perceptions of the benefits and risks of AI use in higher education learning environments.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive design will be employed, using semi-structured interviews with at least fifteen administrators selected through purposive sampling. Audio-recorded interviews will be transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo software

RESULTS

Administrators from different college-level fields perceive and engage with AI across various academic contexts. Exploring these perceptions will allow guidance in the development of coherent, contextually grounded institutional policies that promote responsible GenAI use and support digital leadership in Philippine higher education.

Human ; Artificial Intelligence ; Universities ; Software ; Administrative Personnel ; Intelligence ; Risk ; Policy

BACKGROUND

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare, including occupational therapy (OT), with potential applications in its service delivery and clinical decision-making. While GenAI offers promising educational and clinical support, its generative nature introduces risks related to contextual accuracy, transparency, and ethical use, particularly within supervised clinical training settings where professional judgment is still developing. Empirical research examining GenAI integration in OT clinical training remains limited, especially within the Philippine context.

OBJECTIVE

This is a protocol for a study which aims to explore the perceptions of OT interns in Manila, Philippines, regarding GenAI integration in clinical training, including perceived benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations, guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory

METHODS

This qualitative study protocol describes an exploratory design that will be used to gather rich and contextualized insights from 24 to 32 OT interns enrolled in universities in Manila with established institutional AI-use policies. Data will be collected through semi-structured online focus group discussions (FGD). Thematic analysis will be used with assistance from atlas.ti. 

EXPECTED RESULTS

The study is expected to generate meaningful themes that describe the perceptions of OT interns regarding the integration of GenAI within supervised clinical training contexts. Results are expected to reflect how interns perceive the role of GenAI in supporting clinical decision-making, as well as its perceived challenges and ethical concerns related to institutional policies, data privacy, reliability, and variability in AI-generated outputs.

Human ; Therapeutics ; Universities ; Volition ; Philippines ; Clinical Decision-making ; Artificial Intelligence

INTRODUCTION

With the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, schools around the world have slowly started to reimplement on-site classes with guidelines to prevent outbreaks. The University of Santo Tomas has devised their own set of guidelines, including safety protocols, vaccinations and daily health declarations. These were monitored using the
Thomasian Online Medical Services and Support (ThOMedSS).

METHODOLOGY

Through a case-control study design, the study aims to determine an association between the vaccination status of UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (UST-FMS) students and breakthrough COVID-19 infections in the first semester of the academic year 2022-2023, with population data acquired via records of students participating in face-to-face classes from the UST Health Service Office, and categorized based on breakthrough infections and vaccination status.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Results were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test (pCONCLUSION

The study suggests that vaccination status did not have a statistically significant association (p = 0.3451) with breakthrough infections. The majority (99.94%) of students have received the complete primary COVID-19 vaccination series and only 6.61% of this population developed breakthrough COVID-19 infections, all occurring in those completely vaccinated. Breakthrough infections were 1.76 times more likely for those with booster shots than those without. The possible reason for this is the emergence of the Omicron variant. To improve the study, external exposures and individual behaviors must be considered as potential factors influencing infection rates.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Child: 6-12 Yrs Old ; Adolescent: 13-18 Yrs Old ; Young Adult: 19-24 Yrs Old ; Association ; Case-control Studies ; Covid-19 ; General Surgery ; Faculty ; Incidence ; Infections ; Medicine ; Universities ; Vaccination

This study aims to establish the potential association between ABO blood type among pregnant women (25-34 years old) at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital - Clinical Division Outpatient Department in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM, a prevalent condition during pregnancy, stems from the placenta producing hormones that impede insulin utilization in the body. This research seeks to ascertain whether maternal blood type correlates with the incidence of GDM, utilizing 24- 28 week 75 g OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) as the diagnostic tool for GDM determination. Given the acknowledged genetic link between blood type and diabetes predisposition, genetic factors will be accounted for as potential confounders. Other variables such as maternal age, demographics and prior GDM history will also be considered due to their potential influence on GDM. The study employs a retrospective cross-sectional study with qualitative and quantitative analysis. It focuses on pregnant women’s GDM development as the outcome, assessed concerning maternal blood type as the exposure. Utilizing a retrospective approach, past records of Filipino pregnant women aged 25 to 34 residing in the Philippines will be analyzed. Inclusion criteria encompassed Filipino citizenship, current residency in the Philippines, age between 25 and 34 years, a normal first trimester BMI (18.5-22.9 kg/m2) and normal HbA1c levels (4.0%-5.6%). Exclusion criteria involved pregnant women with more than five births, a family history of diabetes mellitus and a history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Conducted at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital - Clinical Division Outpatient Department, this research aims to determine if ABO blood type predisposes mothers to GDM, potentially offering preventive measures against associated complications such as post pregnancy diabetes mellitus and fetal complications.
Human ; Female ; Adult: 25-44 Yrs Old ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Hospitals ; Pregnant Women ; Universities ; Women

OBJECTIVES: We propose a multimodal model integrating social media text and image data for automated assessment of psychological stress in college students to support the development of intelligent mental health services in higher education institutions. METHODS: Based on deep learning technology, we designed an evaluation framework comprising a text sentiment modeling module, an image sentiment modeling module, and a multimodal fusion prediction module. Text sentiment features were extracted using Bi-LSTM, and image semantic cues were extracted via U-Net. A feature concatenation strategy was used to enable cross-modal semantic collaboration to achieve automatic identification of 3 psychological stress levels: mild, moderate, and severe. We constructed a multimodal annotated dataset using social platform data from 1577 students across multiple universities in Guangdong Province. After data cleaning, 252 samples were randomly selected for model training and testing. RESULTS: In the 3-classification task, the model demonstrated outstanding performance on the test set, and achieved an accuracy of 92.86% and an F1 score of 0.9276, exhibiting excellent stability and consistency. Confusion matrix analysis further revealed the model's ability to effectively distinguish between different pressure levels. CONCLUSIONS The multimodal psychological stress assessment model developed in this study effectively integrates unstructured social behavior data to enhance the scientific rigor and practical applicability of psychological state recognition, and thus provides support for developing intelligent psychological service systems.
Humans ; Stress, Psychological/diagnosis* ; Students/psychology* ; Universities ; Social Media ; Deep Learning

Objective To explore the accumulated effects of physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep on cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)among college students and provide effective measures for enhancing their CRF. Methods From May to June in 2023,223 college students aged 18 to 24 years old were recruited from Tianjin University of Science and Technology for a 24 hours activity behavior survey and CRF testing.Compositional analysis was employed to investigate the relationships of physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep with CRF.Isotemporal substitution models were established to predict the effects of substituting various activity behaviors on CRF.Results The proportion of time spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA)was positively correlated with CRF of college students(β=6.40,P=0.002),while the proportion of time spent on sedentary behavior was negatively correlated with CRF(β=-3.02,P=0.004).Light physical activity(LPA)and sleep were not correlated with CRF(β=-1.06,P=0.504).Isotemporal substitution results for 15-min increments showed that replacing other activity behaviors with MVPA significantly increased the CRF of college students[SB:1.72 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.94-2.51;LPA:1.82 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.95-2.68;sleep:1.64 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.84-2.45].In the dose-response relationship from -30 min to 30 min,reallocating time from other behaviors to MVPA had greater adverse effect on CRF than reallocating time from MVPA to other behaviors.Among all the substitutions,replacing LPA with MVPA had the most beneficial effect on improving CRF.Additionally,a 5-min increment was considered the optimal tipping point for MVPA replacing other activities.Conclusions This study underscores the importance of participating in MVPA for improving the CRF of college students.The isotemporal substitution model provides clear goals for the allocation of time for these behaviors,aiding in future intervention measure development and policy-making.
Humans ; Sedentary Behavior ; Sleep ; Students ; Cardiorespiratory Fitness ; Exercise ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Universities ; Male ; Female

Objective To explore the effects of time reallocation among moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA),light physical activity(LPA),sedentary behavior(SB),and sleep on a body shape index(ABSI),body roundness index(BRI),conicity index(CI),and relative fat mass(RFM)of college students by the compositional isotemporal substitution method,thus providing measures for alleviating the obesity problem of college students. Methods Two hundred and ten college students(111 males and 99 females)aged 18-22 years old were recruited from Tianjin University of Science and Technology from April to June in 2023.Three-dimensional acceleration sensors were used to collect data of MVPA,LPA,SB,and sleep of college students.The body height,body weight,and waist circumference were measured,and four novel obesity indicators(ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM)were calculated.The effects of substituting each activity behavior for 15 min on the obesity indicators were predicted,and the dose-effect relationship was explored at intervals of 5 min from -30 to 30 min.Results MVPA was negatively correlated with ABSI(β=-0.03,P=0.001),BRI(β=-0.27,P=0.049),CI(β=-0.10,P=0.001),and RFM(β=-9.95,P=0.004).LPA was negatively correlated with CI(β=-0.05,P=0.011)and RFM(β=-8.74,P=0.007).Neither SB nor sleep had correlations with ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM.The results of 15 min isotemporal substitutions showed that increasing the MVPA time decreased the ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM by 0.006-0.008,0.306-0.393,0.162-0.205,and 2.468-2.897,respectively.Decreasing the MVPA time increased the ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM by 0.012-0.014,0.548-0.632,0.286-0.328,and 4.358-4.748,respectively.In the dose-effect relationship from -30 min to 30 min,MVPA was irreplaceable,and the negative benefits from substituting MVPA for other activity behaviors were much greater than the positive benefits from substituting MVPA for other activity behaviors.Conclusions Future research should take 24 hours activity behaviors as a whole.Increasing the time spent on MVPA and LPA and decreasing the time spent on SB is one of the effective ways to alleviate the obesity problem among college students.
Humans ; Male ; Students ; Female ; Young Adult ; Obesity ; Sleep ; Adolescent ; Exercise ; Universities ; Sedentary Behavior ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight