De-naturalizing the "predatory": A study of "bogus" publications at public sector universities in Pakistan.

Predatory publishing has recently emerged as a menace in academia. University professors and researchers often exploit this practice for their economic gains and institutional prestige. The present study investigates such existing predatory publishing practices in Pakistani public sector universities drawing on the notion of symbolic violence.

Impact of humanities and social sciences curriculum in an undergraduate medical education programme.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of humanities and social sciences curriculum in an undergraduate medical education programme.

Methods: The qualitative study was conducted from May 2016 to May 2017 at a private medical college in Karachi where humanities and social sciences subject is an art of the undergraduate curriculum as a 6-week module at the start of Year 1 of the five-year programme. Focus group discussions were held with students from all the five years as well as with faculty related to humanities and social sciences, basic sciences and their clinical counterparts.

Regional survey supports national initiative for 'water-only' schools in New Zealand.

Objective: To support a national initiative to remove sugary drinks from schools and limit drinks to water or unflavoured milk ('water-only').

Methods: We emailed all 201 schools with primary school aged children in the Greater Wellington region with a survey on (1) current status of, (2) support needs for, and (3) barriers to or lessons learned from, a 'water-only' school policy.

Results: Only 78 (39%) of schools responded.

Stretching the boundaries of medical education A case of medical college embracing humanities and social sciences in medical education.

Objective: Aga Khan University, a private medical college, had a vision of producing physicians who are not only scientifically competent, but also socially sensitive, the latter by exposure of medical students to a broad-based curriculum. The objective of this study was to identify the genesis of broad-based education and its integration into the undergraduate medical education program as the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) course.

Methods: A qualitative methodology was used for this study.