Applied translation studies and transdisciplinary action research: Understanding, learning and transforming translation in professional contexts

Proceeding from accepted shared definitions of applied linguistics that stress its practical, real-world orientation and instrumentality, this article seeks to move the focus from the interdisciplinarity that has been identified as the nexus of translation studies in the past to how its applied branches should systematically engage with an emerging transdisciplinary research paradigm. It argues that the shift can and will be a key factor, challenge and opportunity in the onward development of applied translation studies as it seeks to adequately address the situated realities of professional translation. The article reveals how transdisciplinarity, operationalised as action research, offers a viable framework for investigating, understanding and learning about what translators really do in working contexts and settings, with a view to identifying issues, improving practices, processes and performance, and ultimately transforming the profession for the good of those it employs and serves. In doing so, it considers approaches from cognitive translatology, based largely on a 4EA cognitive paradigm, and translatorial linguistic ethnography, where researchers are gradually but progressively going out into the field to explore and describe the complex socio-cognitive, socio-technical activity of translation in situ. After presenting a use case from a large-scale research project on translation ergonomics at the authors home institution, the article puts forward a model for transdisciplinary action research in professional settings to guide the necessary transition from interdisciplinarity to transdisciplinarity. Such a model would allow professional processes and practices to be investigated, and the findings productively and transformatively applied, in the situated socio-cognitive and socio-technical contexts of translators workplaces - within, for, with and by the organisations that employ them.

Access to CAR-T Cell Therapy in Underrepresented Populations: A Multicenter Cohort Study of Pediatric and Young Adult ALL Patients

Introduction: Social determinants of health such as race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with inferior outcomes in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Latinx patients have worse event-free survival and are at increased risk of relapse when compared to non-Latinx peers; given that low SES is also an independent predictor of relapse, some of this disparity is likely the result of structural racism. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) is a promising approach to improve survival for patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-ALL. However, given the limited number of cellular therapy centers, these therapies may not be equally accessible to patients of low SES or patients from historically disadvantaged populations. The sociodemographic characteristics of pediatric and young adult patients referred for CAR-T have not been well-described. We aimed to evaluate how sociodemographic characteristics of patients referred for CAR-T from outside institutions (referred CAR-T) differed from r/r patients referred for CAR-T at their home institution (local CAR-T), r/r patients not referred for CAR-T at their home institution (other relapse), and patients without r/r disease (without relapse). We hypothesized that there would be a higher proportion of non-Latinx White patients and patients with higher SES among referred CAR-T patients. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of children and young adults with B-ALL treated at five large pediatric hospitals between 2012-2018. Patients diagnosed with B-ALL between age 0 and 29 were included. Clinical and demographic data (including race/ethnicity, insurance, and primary language) were collected from the electronic health record and analyzed using descriptive statistics. For patients residing within the United States, ArcGIS NSES Index software was used to assign SES score by census tract (0-100, with 50 as the national average). Results: Our cohort included 1374 patients with B-ALL, of which 372 (27%) had r/r disease (Table 1). Among 372 r/r patients, 142 were referred CAR-T patients and 230 were treated for r/r leukemia at their home institution (35% local CAR-T and 65% other relapse). Median distance traveled to CAR-T therapy was 824 miles among referred patients and 20.5 miles among local CAR-T patients. The majority of patients (76% of the overall cohort and 79% of those receiving CAR-T) were either White or Latinx. A higher proportion of local CAR-T patients were Latinx compared to referred CAR-T patients (56% vs. 29%; p<0.01). Conversely, fewer local CAR-T patients were non-Latinx White compared to referred CAR-T patients (28% vs. 47%; p<0.01). A higher proportion of local CAR-T patients had public insurance compared to referred CAR-T patients (65% vs. 31%; p<0.001). A higher proportion of local CAR-T patients identified Spanish as their primary language compared to referred CAR-T patients (24% vs. 6%; p<0.001). Mean SES scores were similar across all groups. Conclusions: In a large multicenter cohort of B-ALL pediatric and young adult patients, the demographics of referred CAR-T patients were notably different than local CAR-T patients. Latinx patients are at increased risk of relapse, making access to CAR-T all the more essential; however, we found less than one-third of patients referred from outside institutions for CAR-T cell therapy were Latinx, while a majority of patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy locally were Latinx. This association suggests that barriers to access such as distance and need for travel may differentially impact Latinx patients due to structural racism. Spanish-speaking patients and patients with public insurance were also underrepresented in referrals from outside institutions. However, these observational differences may be in part due to regional variations in the demographics of the population. Preliminary analysis by site is underway and indicates that center level demographic variation may be driving some of the observed differences. Very few Black and Asian patients received CAR-T within our cohort making any assessments of patterns of care difficult. Future work will involve additional analysis to identify non-clinical factors that may influence referral and enrollment rates on CAR-T clinical trials as well as qualitative work to understand these factors from the patient and provider perspectives. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Walters: AllCells, Inc: Consultancy; BioLabs, Inc: Consultancy; Vertex pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Ensoma, Inc.: Consultancy. Ramsey: Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cystetics Medicines: Consultancy.

Promoting international learning outcomes during a study abroad: the moderating role of internationalisation at home

PurposeThe authors examine the role of internationalisation at-home activities and an international classroom at a home institution to promote intercultural competence development during a study abroad.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use large scale longitudinal data from the global mind monitor (GMM) (2018–2020) to examine change over time in both multicultural personality (MPQ) and cultural knowledge (CQ) among students in Dutch higher education institutions. The authors analyse the moderating effect of the preparation in the home institution by looking at the added value of both intercultural communication courses and international classroom setting for intercultural competence development during a study abroad.FindingsThe results show that particularly courses on intercultural communication significantly promote intercultural competence development during a stay abroad. Frequent interactions with international staff also seem to be beneficial for this development.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted in the Netherlands, in one of the most internationalised educational systems in the world. Therefore, it is difficult to generalise these findings to other contexts before any further empirical research is conducted.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, the authors formulate practical advice for higher education institutions that aim to get the most out of the international learning outcomes of a study abroad.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to assess the moderating effect of preparatory internationalisation at home initiatives on the intercultural learning effects of international experiences later on in a study program. Other studies have proposed that these effects will exist but have not tested them empirically with longitudinal data.

Developing a professionalism and harassment policy for organized neurosurgery

Annual conferences, educational courses, and other meetings draw a diverse community of individuals, yet also create a unique environment without the traditional guard rails. Unlike events held at one's home institution, clear rules and jurisdiction have not been universally established. To promote the open exchange of ideas, as well as an environment conducive to professional growth of all participants, the leading neurosurgical professional organizations joined to delineate the expectations for anyone who participates in sponsored events. The One Neurosurgery Summit Taskforce on Professionalism and Harassment developed a foundational policy that establishes common expectations for behavior and a unified roadmap for the prompt response to untoward events. We hope that publishing this policy will inspire other medical organizations to establish their own meeting and conference policies. More importantly, we wish to bring greater attention to everyone's responsibility for ensuring a safe and respectful space for education, scientific debate, and networking during organized events.

Research on Community Service Smart Endowment Model in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

<p>In this article, in order to solve the problem of the current social endowment, promote economic transformation and sustainable social development in China, by studying the current population aging speed in Yuexiu of Guangzhou in China and the social background of rapid rise of the Internet industry. It combines the advanced Internet informatization technology, intelligent technology and pension industry to innovate on the basis of aged-care at home, institution endowment, forming an “Internet + endowment” wisdom of community service pension mode. By analyzing the relevant data of aging population, this article concludes the feasibility, necessity and practicality of this pension model through describing the current situation of home-based smart pension in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou in China.</p>

An interactive tool to forecast US hospital needs in the coronavirus 2019 pandemic

Objective We developed an application (https://rush-covid19.herokuapp.com/) to aid US hospitals in planning their response to the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods Our application forecasts hospital visits, admits, discharges, and needs for hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment by coupling COVID-19 predictions to models of time lags, patient carry-over, and length-of-stay. Users can choose from 7 COVID-19 models, customize 23 parameters, examine trends in testing and hospitalization, and download forecast data. Results Our application accurately predicts the spread of COVID-19 across states and territories. Its hospital-level forecasts are in continuous use by our home institution and others. Discussion Our application is versatile, easy-to-use, and can help hospitals plan their response to the changing dynamics of COVID-19, while providing a platform for deeper study. Conclusion Empowering healthcare responses to COVID-19 is as crucial as understanding the epidemiology of the disease. Our application will continue to evolve to meet this need.

American Examples, or, How I Stopped Being an Americanist and Learned to Study Religion in America All Over Again

The Report brings you news on the latest projects, initiatives, and developments from around the field. Michael J. Altman of the University of Alabama relays his experience in moving from subfield expertise to field-critical theorizing and how he brought others along for the journey. American Examples provides intellectual space for early career scholars to reframe a particular interest in things American into provocative illustrations of identity and social formation. With support from Altman’s home institution and later the Henry Luce Foundation, participants workshop and enhance their teaching, research, and public humanities efforts.

Reference letters for subspecialty medicine residency positions: are they valuable for decision-making? Results from a Canadian study

Background The letter of recommendation is currently an integral part of applicant selection for residency programs. Internal medicine residents will spend much time and expense completing sub-specialty away electives to obtain a letter of recommendation. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine a large sample of reference letters in order to define essential components of a high-quality letter, and 2) to elucidate the relationship between quality of reference letter and the letter writer. Methods We conducted a two-phase study. In phase one, a large sample of letters of recommendation was examined using an audit tool as a coding framework. A 5-point composite endpoint of high-quality letter components was subsequently developed. In phase two, program director letters were compared to non-program director home institution and non-home institution elective letters based on inclusion of components of the 5-point composite endpoint using Chi square testing. Results 715 letters were examined (398 non-program director home institution letters, 201 program director letters, and 116 non-home institution elective letters). High-quality letter components were: nature of relationship, duration of relationship, In Training Evaluation Report information, research involvement and comments on areas for improvement. Program director letters had a significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of all 5 high-quality components, compared to 0% in both non-program director home institution letters and elective letters (p < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of program director letters had 4–5 high-quality components (62.5%) compared to 2% of non-program director home institution letters and 0% of elective letters (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Letters of recommendation from elective rotations are of the poorest quality and such rotations should not be pursued for the sole purpose of obtaining a letter. The low quality of elective letters leads to the recommendation that writers should decline to write them, programs should not require them and trainees should not request them. Program directors write the highest quality letters and should be a resource for faculty development. Clinical supervisors can use the 5-point composite endpoint as a guide when writing letters for applicants.

Supporting SoTL Development through Communities of Practice

Increasingly, academics are engaging with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). However, within United Kingdom higher education, the definition of and activities that constitute SoTL remain open to debate. In this article, we explore SoTL through four career histories that give insight into how SoTL has developed and played a role in the careers of four life sciences-based, teaching-focused academics in UK universities at different points in their careers. The recurring themes in the career histories include collaboration; professional development; sharing and dissemination; and funding. The career histories also highlight aspects of and the importance of communities of practice. We reflect on the role of communities of practice in supporting SoTL and discuss how communities of practice external to one’s home institution can play a role in developing SoTL and teaching practice. Internationally there is a growing focus on SoTL, and although the four career histories presented here are authored by academics based in UK institutions and focused on the UK context, the themes they reveal are widely applicable.

Reference letters for subspecialty medicine residency positions: Are they valuable for decision-making? Results from a Canadian study.

Background: The letter of recommendation is currently an integral part of applicant selection for residency programs. Internal medicine residents will spend much time and expense completing sub-specialty away electives to obtain a letter of recommendation. The purpose of this study was 1) to examine a large sample of reference letters in order to define essential components of a high-quality letter, and 2) to elucidate the relationship between quality of reference letter and the letter writer. Methods: We conducted a two-phase study. In phase one, a large sample of letters of recommendation was examined using an audit tool as a coding framework. A 5-point composite endpoint of high-quality letter components was subsequently developed. In phase two, program director letters were compared to non-program director home institution and non-home institution elective letters based on inclusion of components of the 5-point composite endpoint using Chi square testing. Results: 715 letters were examined (398 non-program director home institution letters, 201 program director letters, and 116 non-home institution elective letters). High-quality letter components were: nature of relationship, duration of relationship, In Training Evaluation Report information, research involvement and comments on areas for improvement. Program director letters had a significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of all 5 high-quality components, compared to 0% in both non-program director home institution letters and elective letters (p<0.001). A significantly higher proportion of program director letters had 4-5 high-quality components (62.5%) compared to 2% of non-program director home institution letters and 0% of elective letters (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Letters of recommendation from elective rotations are of the poorest quality and such rotations should not be pursued for the sole purpose of obtaining a letter. The low quality of elective letters leads to the recommendation that writers should decline to write them, programs should not require them and trainees should not request them. Program directors write the highest quality letters and should be a resource for faculty development. Clinical supervisors can use the 5-point composite endpoint as a guide when writing letters for applicants.