Professional Notes and Research Resources

The NCI invests heavily in research resources to serve the research community, including datasets, biospecimen banks, and networks of institutions in which clinical trials and other human subjects research are conducted. These resources often begin as grant-funded infrastructure initiated by scientists based on their own scientific interests, with a subsequent recognition of additional scientific uses. Although converting existing project-specific research activities into research resources may appear efficient in terms of time and financial investment, challenges can arise that undermine this efficiency and jeopardize future use. Here, we describe three challenges in the conversion process: (i) project-based infrastructure versus a research resource for a broader research community; (ii) complexity versus ease of use; and (iii) individual professional goals versus research resource priorities. We use our experience with the NCI-funded Cancer Research Network, particularly the Virtual Data Warehouse, to illustrate each challenge, concluding with strategies to mitigate each one. As studies grow in size and complexity, an ever-increasing volume of data, biospecimens, and human subjects research networks will be available for conversion to resources for scientific questions beyond those originally proposed. Addressing likely challenges thoughtfully can result in a more efficient conversion process and ultimately greater scientific impact.

Professional Notes and Research Resources

Professional Notes and Research Resources

Professional Notes and Research Resources

Professional Notes and Research Resources

Professional Notes and Research Resources

Assistive Technology in the Workplace

Professional Notes and Research Resources

The rapid growth of the Internet and the advantages of the medium over traditional communication formats in terms of flexibility, speed and reach make it an obvious route for research dissemination. Given the emphasis on evidencebased decision-making as a way of improving the allocation of scarce resources to improve health, and given the focus on dissemination therein, the potential of the web to get digestible information to the right people at the right time is even more apparent. While the Internet is no panacea and issues around equity of public access are still to be resolved, its possibilities as a resource for professionals should not be underestimated and its longer term impact on the way we carry out and communicate research are likely to be far reaching. However, before its full potential can be realised, problems relating to underdeveloped skills and lack of support for users need to be addressed, as do issues around the Internet’s credibility as a publishing route for professional researchers. Similarly, new types of expertise and creativity need to be nurtured in those charged with developing the unique features of the medium. This will ensure that health researchers, practitioners and policy makers are at the forefront rather than bringing up the rear of the increasing number of professionals finding the Internet a key tool in their work. The Internet as a research and dissemination resource

NKF/CRN Message From Chairperson Welcome Summer

This article reviews the 15 years of research development efforts of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR); delineates IASWR's roles in relation to the social work practice, education, and research communities; presents the transdisciplinary and transorganizational partnerships in which IASWR engages to influence national-level policy; identifies markers that demonstrate increased capacity; and, finally, points toward opportunities for the profession to carry gains to the next level. Specifically discussed are IASWR's role in partnerships and coalitions to influence federal policy and research resource development and IASWR's leadership work in promoting evidence-based practices in social work. KEY WORDS: collaboration; evidence-based practice; infrastructure; policy development; resource development; social work research ********** The Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR) was created in 1993 to be an infrastructure through which the profession's research capacity and knowledge development could be both strengthened and demonstrated (Zlotnik, Biegel, & Solt, 2001; Zlotnik & Solt, 2006). IASWR HISTORY Despite the dual traditions of social work research and social work practice, there have been few organized and sustained national efforts focused on developing social work researchers or building social work research resources. In 1988, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director Lewis Judd funded the creation of the Task Force on Social Work Research (Task Force), recognizing that whereas 70% of mental health services are provided by social workers, fewer than one-half of 1% of NASW members identified their primary professional activity as research (Task Force, 1991). The Task Force met for three years and gathered input from a broad range of social workers and other stakeholders to assess the current state of social work research. The culminating report, Building Social Work Knowledge for Effective Services and Policies: A Plan for Research Development (Task Force, 1991) stated the following: There is a crisis in the current development of research resources in social work.... This has serious consequences for individuals using social work services, for professional practitioners, for the credibility of the profession, and for the American society. Billions of dollars are being spent for services to deal with critical social problems, including services provided by social workers. Extremely little is being spent on research to improve the effectiveness of such services. (p. viii) This report laid the groundwork for IASWR's creation. IASWR's founding organizations, NASW; the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD); the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD); the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE); and, in 2000, the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) made a long-term commitment to the importance of social work research for the profession and for their organizations and constituents. IASWR's mission is to advance the profession's knowledge base by building research capacity; by increasing support and opportunities for research; by promoting linkages among social work practice, research, and education communities; and by representing the profession within the national scientific community. IASWR's work follows two parallel paths: one focuses on building research capacity and research practice connections within social work, and the other focuses on advocacy and increased social work research visibility with federal agencies, with legislators, and with sister scientific societies. SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITY Building capacity within schools of social work required development of expertise in writing and reviewing federal research grants. …

"The following text delves into the intriguing world of greenhouse farming in India, emphasizing its potential as a sustainable and innovative solution that has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural sector. Greenhouse farming, also known as polyhouse farming, is an emerging technique with significant relevance in Indias agricultural landscape. It not only transforms the traditional approach to agriculture but also fosters sustainable food production. By utilizing cutting-edge technology, this method has the potential to address issues arising from conventional farming practices, marking a critical step towards a more advanced and efficient agricultural future. The successful implementation and production of agricultural produce in a greenhouse require proper design and maintenance. A book on the Design and Maintenance of Greenhouses has been written to address this need. The book is divided into thirteen chapters, which cover topics such as the development of greenhouses, the materials used in greenhouse construction, greenhouse design, as well as repair and maintenance. The chapter on heating and cooling provides information on how to maintain and control the microclimatic conditions of a greenhouse. The book also discusses the greenhouse control system for better production and post-production management in detail. The cost economics analysis of greenhouse production is included in the book as well. For researchers interested in the advanced study of greenhouses, a steady-state thermal model of a greenhouse is discussed. This book is highly beneficial for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying agricultural science. It provides extensive knowledge about greenhouse operations, with a special emphasis on establishing and maintaining sustainable and efficient environments for successful crop cultivation. The book titled Design and Maintenance of Greenhouses is an essential resource for anyone interested in learning about the practical aspects of greenhouse farming. With its comprehensive coverage of topics such as greenhouse design, construction materials, and maintenance, this book provides a valuable guide for those looking to implement or improve their greenhouse operations. Additionally, the books inclusion of cost economics analysis and a steady-state thermal model makes it a valuable resource for researchers and professionals in the field. Overall, this book is a valuable contribution to the field of agriculture and greenhouse farming, providing practical knowledge and expert insights into the design and maintenance of greenhouses. It is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and professionals looking to improve their understanding of greenhouse operations and contribute to the development of sustainable and innovative agricultural practices. "

A museum mineral collection is a vast repository of Earth and planetary materials. It is a resource for researchers looking to gain access to the rarest minerals and gems, and those that are looking for intricate details in species variation. Some researchers need access to common minerals, but don’t have the means to acquire specimens themselves. More importantly, in my opinion, a museum mineral collection can be used to inspire wonder to our visitors, inform the public of current issues in a safe and comfortable space, shape their world view if they trust us, or just allow them to appreciate Nature’s creations. The collections need to be accessible at all levels.When it comes to unlocking the museum’s mineral collection, what we are talking about is accessibility, and are there only two groups of people to which this mainly concerns. They are the professional researchers and the general public.

This article presents a segmentation of users who visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s online collection. The six segments defined in this study are professional researcher, personal interest information-seeker, student researcher, inspiration-seeker, casual browser, and visit planner. The study combines web analytics with more traditional survey methods to show how digital research tools can be incorporated into visitor studies in the emerging domain of online product evaluation. The results of this user research advance the understanding of museum website audiences, with detailed data and descriptions of each segment. The article argues that it is important for museums to create multiple kinds of online experiences to reflect the varying motivations, art background, context, and online behavior of website users. Moreover, the article provides a discussion on the implications of this user diversity for evaluating the impact and value of online museum collections. The evaluation framework needs to include metrics to measure the user experience by considering the online collection from three perspectives: as a resource for research and learning, as a source of inspiration, and as a tool for planning a visit to the museum.

Malware poses a significant threat to computer systems and networks. This necessitates the development of effective detection mechanisms. Detection mechanisms dependent on signatures for attack detection perform poorly due to high false negatives. This limitation is attributed to the inability to detect zero-day attacks, polymorphic malware, increasing signature base, and detection speed. To achieve rapid detection, automated system-level malware detection using machine learning approaches, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to identify and mitigate malware attacks, has emerged as a promising solution. This comprehensive review aims to provides a detailed analysis of the status quo in malware detection by exploring the fundamentals of machine learning techniques for malware detection. The review is largely based on the PRISMA approach for article search methods and selection from four databases. Keywords were identified together with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review seeks feature extraction and selection methods that enhance the accuracy and precision of detection algorithms. Evaluation metrics and common datasets were used to assess the performance of the system-level malware detection techniques. A comparative analysis of different machine learning approaches, emphasizing their strengths, weaknesses, and performance in detecting system-level malware is presented together with the limitations of the detection techniques. The paper concludes with future research opportunities, particularly in applying artificial intelligence, and provides a resource for researchers and cybersecurity professionals seeking to understand and advance automated system-level malware detection using machine learning.