Interest In Health Research Articles

A history of arts and health in South Australia: Policy and practice

This article traces the history of arts and health in South Australia, using an interview-based methodology to detail how grassroots practice developed into formal arts and health policy. The project interviewed 47 arts and health stakeholders, including former state government ministers, artists and health professionals. South Australia has a long history of arts and health work. However, interviewees describe a lack of momentum for the field since the endorsement of the 2013 National Arts and Health Framework, largely because it did not contain binding commitments which left the field vulnerable to changes associated with political leadership. South Australia thus represents both a case study of how grassroots support can maximize political interest in arts and health to create formal policy as well as a warning on the challenges that occur when this interest wanes.

Implementation of Digital Health in Addressing Global Threats: Lessons from the Use of Technology during COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

This research conducted a systematic literature review to explore the implementation of digital health in Indonesia, focusing on the digital health policies, usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, benefits, and lessons learned. The study identified 10 relevant journals through database searches and analyzed the trends in publication, productive journals, and top institutions involved in digital health research. The findings revealed an increasing interest in digital health, with a growing number of published articles from 2021 to 2023. ScienceDirect emerged as the most productive journal, followed by PubMed and MDPI. The University of Indonesia and the University of Gajah Mada were the leading institutions in digital health research in Indonesia. The study discussed the implementation of digital health during the pandemic, highlighting its role in epidemic surveillance, telemedicine services, and data systems for COVID-19 management. The research also emphasized the challenges faced in the 3T regions (remote areas) of Indonesia due to limited internet access and infrastructure. Overall, the findings contribute to understanding the landscape of digital health in Indonesia and provide insights into its benefits and lessons learned.

Building Climate Change into Medical Education: A Society of General Internal Medicine Position Statement.

Building expertise in climate and planetary health among healthcare professionals cannot come with greater urgency as the threats from climate change become increasingly apparent. Current and future healthcare professionals-particularly internists-will increasingly need to understand the interconnectedness of natural systems and human health to better serve their patients longitudinally. Despite this, few national medical societies and accreditation bodies espouse frameworks for climate change and planetary health-related education at the undergraduate (UME), graduate (GME), and continuing (CME) medical education level. As a community of medical educators with an enduring interest in climate change and planetary health, the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) recognizes the need to explicitly define structured educational opportunities and core competencies in both UME and GME as well as pathways for faculty development. In this position statement, we build from the related SGIM Climate and Health position statement, and review and synthesize existing position statements made by US-based medical societies and accreditation bodies that focus on climate change and planetary health-related medical education, identify gaps using Bloom's Hierarchy, and provide recommendations on behalf of SGIM regarding the development of climate and planetary health curricula development. Identified gaps include (1) limited systematic approach to climate and planetary health medical education at all levels; (2) minimal emphasis on learner-driven approaches; (3) limited focus on physician and learner well-being; and (4) limited role for health equity and climate justice. Recommendations include a call to relevant accreditation bodies to explicitly include climate change and planetary health as a competency, extend the structural competency framework to climate change and planetary health to build climate justice, proactively include learners in curricular development and teaching, and ensure resources and support to design and implement climate and planetary health-focused education that includes well-being and resiliency.

대학생의 건강관심도, 수면의 질, 운동참여의도가 건강증진 생활양식에 미치는 영향: 스마트워치 사용자와 비사용자를 중심으로

대학생의 건강관심도, 수면의 질, 운동참여의도가 건강증진 생활양식에 미치는 영향: 스마트워치 사용자와 비사용자를 중심으로

Effect of exposure to disinfection by-products during swimming exercise on asthma-related immune responses.

Swimming is a widely practiced exercise in modern society, where there is a heightened interest in health. The exceptional benefits of swimming are well-known, yet the issue of water quality management inevitably arises due to its nature as an aquatic exercise. Several studies reported that chlorine disinfectants commonly used in swimming pool water disinfection could degrade into toxic disinfection by-products (DBPs) and suggested that the DBPs might induce respiratory disorders, including asthma. Conversely, there were also reports that the DBPs had no significant effects on respiratory conditions. In this study, we investigated the influence of swimming exercise and DBPs on asthma. The decomposition products had little effect on the number of T cells in various immune organs. However, swimming exercise was found to increase the cell count in proportion to the exercise duration. Nevertheless, there were no significant changes in other immune cells and the secretion of asthma-related cytokines. These findings indicate that the effects of swimming pool DBPs on respiratory conditions during swimming exercise are either negligible or absent, and instead, the immunological benefits gained through consistent swimming exercise outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Health policy competencies in regional organizations: a retrospective analysis for 76 regional organizations from 1945 to 2015

BackgroundHealth policy competencies of regional organizations include mandates to create regional health laws and policies, as well as authorities that allow member states to undertake collective actions in the health field. The examination of the health policy competencies of regional organizations is essential, as it constitutes an important prerequisite for regional organizations to govern regional health. This study aims to map the development trajectory of health policy competencies in regional organizations worldwide and investigate their potential correlates. This will contribute to the enhanced promotion of both existing and new regional health cooperation.MethodsThis retrospective analysis utilized the health policy competencies of the 76 regional organizations worldwide from 1945 to 2015, as investigated in the Regional Organizations Competencies Database. By aggregating member state data from various sources such as the IHME Global Burden of Disease 2019, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, we extracted the mean values and coefficients of variation for the covariates in regional organization characteristics, socioeconomic and demographic factors, health status and health-system capacity. The correlation between changes in the health policy scope of regional organizations and independent variables was analyzed using Poisson pseudo-likelihood regression with multiple levels of fixed effects.ResultsFrom 1945 to 2015, the number of regional organizations with health policy competencies experienced a slow growth stage before 1991 and an explosive growth stage post-1991. By 2015, 48 out of the 71 existing regional organizations had developed their health policy competencies, yet 26 (54.2%) of these organizations possessed only 1–2 health policy competencies. An enhancement in the health policy scope of a regional organization correlated with its founding year, a greater number of policy fields, higher under-five mortality, and larger disparities in trade and healthcare access and quality indexes among member states. In contrast, larger disparities in population, under-five mortality and health worker density among member states, along with more hospital beds per capita, were negatively correlated with the expansion of a regional organization’s health policy scope.ConclusionSince 1991, there has been a surge of interest in health among regional organizations, although health remains a secondary priority for them. The health policy competencies of regional organizations are pivotal for promoting social equity within regional communities. Its establishment is also closely linked to the level and disparities among member states in aspects such as trade, population, child mortality rates, and health system capacity.

Mental Health First Aid Officers in the Wild: A Qualitative Study of Role Formalisation, Motivation and Support Systems

ABSTRACT Objective Mental Health First Aid Officers (MHFAO) have been integrated into workplaces to assist with rising concerns about employee mental health. However, there is a dearth of research on the experiences of MHFAO. This research explores three research questions. First, how are MHFAO roles defined and structured? Second, what motivates MHFAO to become and remain in their roles? Third, what support systems exist and what desired support systems are lacking? Method Twenty-four MHFAO from different organisations in Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were thematically analysed. Results Firstly, MHFAO described three ways in which their roles were formalised: informal, semi-formal and fully formalised. Secondly, motivation to become a MHFAO included intrinsic interest in mental health, personal and knowing someone with lived experience, alignment with existing organisational roles, and anticipated rewards. Skill utilisation was critical for sustained motivation. Thirdly, MHFAO reported employee assistance programs, peer support groups and training as primary supports. Primary barriers to accessing support were confidentiality concerns and relational issues. MHFAO desired greater internal and external support groups, leader buy-in, and training. Discussion As the second study on this population, this research explores and expands the lived experiences of MHFAO. Both theoretical and practical insights are elaborated as well as a future research agenda.

Examining the association between stigmatizing attitudes in nursing students and their desire for a career in mental health nursing: A comparative analysis of generic and accelerated programs in Israel.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health nursing is often perceived as an unattractive career choice among nursing students, and it remains unclear whether the type of nursing program influences this view. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between stigmatizing attitudes in nursing students and their desire for a career in mental health nursing, comparing students in generic and accelerated programs. A total of 220 nursing students from generic and accelerated programs in North-Center Israel participated in this cross-sectional study, completing a questionnaire on stigmatizing attitudes and their interest in a mental health nursing career. Nursing students displayed a generally low desire for mental health nursing, influenced by factors such as enrollment in the generic program, previous mental health work experience and stigmatizing attitudes. Students in the generic program, with lower stigmatizing attitudes and prior mental health experience, exhibited a higher inclination towards mental health nursing. Prospective mental health nursing professionals may be identified in the generic program, particularly those with prior mental health experience and lower stigmatizing attitudes. Additional studies are required to confirm and broaden their applicability to other contexts.

Cyanopeptolins and Anabaenopeptins Are the Dominant Cyanopeptides from Planktothrix Strains Collected in Canadian Lakes.

Common bloom-forming cyanobacteria produce complex strain-specific mixtures of secondary metabolites. The beneficial and toxic properties of these metabolite mixtures have attracted both research and public health interest. The advancement of mass spectrometry-based platforms and metabolomics data processing has accelerated the identification of new metabolites and feature dereplication from microbial sources. The objective of this study was to use metabolomics data processing to decipher the intracellular cyanopeptide diversity of six Planktothrix strains collected from Canadian lakes. Data-dependent acquisition experiments were used to collect a non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometry dataset. Principal component analysis and factor loadings were used to visualize cyanopeptide variation between strains and identified features contributing to the observed variation. GNPS molecular networking was subsequently used to show the diversity of cyanopeptides produced by the Planktothrix strains. Each strain produced a unique mixture of cyanopeptides, and a total of 225 cyanopeptides were detected. Planktothrix sp. CPCC 735 produced the most (n = 68) cyanopeptides, and P. rubescens CPCC 732 produced the fewest (n = 27). Microcystins and anabaenopeptins were detected from all strains. Cyanopeptolins, microviridins and aeruginosins were detected from five, four and two strains, respectively. Cyanopeptolin (n = 80) and anabaenopeptin (n = 61) diversity was the greatest, whereas microcystins (n = 21) were the least diverse. Interestingly, three of the P. rubescens strains had different cyanopeptide profiles, despite being collected from the same lake at the same time. This study highlights the diversity of cyanopeptides produced by Planktothrix and further hints at the underestimated cyanopeptide diversity from subpopulations of chemotypic cyanobacteria in freshwater lakes.

Current and future potential distribution of Culex (Melanoconion) (Diptera: Culicidae) of public health interest in the Neotropics.

Anthropogenic activities are altering ecosystem stability and climate worldwide, which is disturbing and shifting arbovirus vector distributions. Although the overall geographic range of some epidemiologically important species is recognized, the spatiotemporal variation for other species in the context of climate change remains poorly understood. Here we predict the current potential distribution of 9 species of Culex (Melanoconion) based on an ecological niche modeling (ENM) approach and assess spatiotemporal variation in future climate change in the Neotropics. The most important environmental predictors were the mean temperature of the warmest season (27 °C), precipitation during the driest month (50 mm), and precipitation during the warmest season (>200 mm). The best current model for each species was transferred to the future general circulation model IPSL-CM6A-LR, using 2 shared socioeconomic pathway scenarios (ssp1-2.6, ssp5-8.5). Under both scenarios of climatic change, an expansion of suitable areas can be observed followed by a strong reduction for the medium-long future under the worst scenario. The multivariate environmental similarity surface analysis indicated future novel climates outside the current range. However, none of the species would occur in those areas. Even if many challenges remain in improving methods for forecasting species responses to global climate change and arbovirus transmission, ENM has strong potential to be applied to the geographic characterization of these systems. Our study can be used for the monitoring of Culex (Melanoconion) species populations and their associated arboviruses, contributing to develop region-specific public health surveillance programs.

Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Adolescents with Special Educational and Care Needs in the Netherlands: A Case-File Study of Three Special Educational and Care Settings

To date, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in adolescents with special educational and care needs have received little attention as an important risk factor for their behavioral, emotional, and learning problems. This study provides insight into ACE prevalence and family risk factors in three Dutch special educational and care settings for vulnerable school-aged youth. 268 adolescents (10–18 years old) with severe and persistent problems at individual and family level, from a special educational setting (setting 1; n = 59), a residential care setting (setting 2; n = 86) and an alternative educational setting (setting 3; n = 123) were included. A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected between 2016 and 2019 through structured case-file analysis. A substantial proportion of the adolescents in all settings experienced at least one ACE, with 69.5% in setting 1, 84.9% in setting 2 and 95.1% in setting 3. Family risk factors were relatively common, among which a limited social network in all settings (20–50%) and debts in setting 2 and 3 (25–40%). The substantial ACE prevalence underlines the need for early ACE awareness. Trauma-informed care and education are needed to adequately understand trauma-related behaviors, prevent retraumatization, and enhance learning and healthy development. Given that ACEs regarding household dysfunction and family risk factors seem to be common in adolescents with special educational and care needs, family centered approaches should be implemented as well in the interest of lifelong health and well-being for both adolescents and their families.

Proposal of a mosquito control plan of Smir-Restinga region (north-west of Morocco)

BackgroundThe present study conducted on mosquitoes in the region of Restinga Smir, located in the north-west of Morocco, attempts to provide a scientific platform for an appropriate mosquito control plan for this tourism spot. The aim of this plan is to perfect the methods of the means of mosquito control for an effective fight against mosquitoes in this area, known for their strong nuisance (bites) and their ability to transmit several deadly diseases.ResultsMonitoring of mosquito species in the Smir marshes, especially those of public health interest, shows that they are distributed differently in the permanent and temporary environments. The establishment and analysis of their development cycles shows that their periods of activity in the different stations of the study area overlap in several cases, especially in the permanent stations. The study of the resistance of these species to the organophosphate insecticides commonly used for mosquito control in the region allowed to conclude the doses of insecticides (LC 90) that could be used for this mosquito control programme.ConclusionsThe proposed mosquito control programme gives an estimate of the timing of larval treatments and the insecticides that may be used. This plan was concluded based on the results obtained from the study of life cycles, spatial and temporal distribution of mosquitoes in the Smir area and their resistance to the organophosphate insecticides most used by public health services.

Access, interest and equity considerations for virtual global health activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundGlobal health activities (GHAs) reduce health disparities by promoting medical education, professional development, and resource sharing between high- and low- to middle-income countries (HICs and LMICs). Virtual global health activities facilitated continuity and bidirectionality in global health during the COVID-19 pandemic. While virtual engagement holds potential for promoting equity within partnerships, research on equitable access to and interest in virtual global health activities is limited.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, online, mixed-methods survey from January to February 2022 examining access to virtual activities before and during the pandemic across resource settings. Eligible participants were participants or facilitators of global health activities. Closed- and open-ended questions elicited participants’ access to and interest in virtual global health engagement.ResultsWe analyzed 265 surveys from respondents in 45 countries (43.0% LMIC vs. HIC 57.0%). HIC respondents tended to report greater loss of in-person access due to the pandemic at their own institutions (16 of 17 queried GHAs), while LMIC respondents tended to report greater loss of in-person activities at another institution (9 of 17 queried GHAs). Respondents from LMICs were more likely to gain virtual access through another organization for all 17 queried VGHAs. HIC respondents had significantly more access to global health funding through their own organization (p < 0.01) and more flexibility for using funds. There were significant differences and trends between respondent groups in different resource environments in terms of accessibility to and interest in different virtual global health activities, both during and after the pandemic.ConclusionsOur results highlight the need to examine accessibility to virtual global health activities within partnerships between high- and low- to middle-income countries. While virtual activities may bridge existing gaps in global health education and partnerships, further study on priorities and agenda setting for such initiatives, with special attention to power dynamics and structural barriers, are necessary to ensure meaningful virtual global health engagement moving forward.

The Effects of Dairy Consumption on Vaccine Immune Response and Immunoglobulins: A Systematic Literature Review

Public health interest in vaccinations and immune protection has increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Dairy products are an important source of protein and other nutrients, and there are unresolved research questions regarding the potential health impact of dairy products on the enhancement of immune response. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the published literature reporting the effects of dairy interventions on: 1) the vaccine-specific immune response and 2) immunoglobulins in the absence of vaccination. To assess study validity and quality, we used the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist. Sixty-one studies (59 clinical trials, 1 cohort, 1 cross-sectional survey) were included, spanning 1983-2017. Ten trials evaluated the effect of dairy intervention on vaccine-specific IgG, IgA, IgM, vaccine-specific antibody titers, seroprotection rates, or seroconversion rates. Of these, 7 reported significant increases with dairy interventions for post-vaccine tetanus antibodies, mean change in tetanus antibody level, total antibody titers to flagellin from Salmonella Adelaide, mean antibody titers to influenza B, influenza-specific IgA and IgG levels, and seroconversion or seroprotection rates for influenza A and B. Fifty-six studies evaluated dairy’s effects on immunoglobulins without vaccinations. The results were heterogenous, with some studies reporting significant enhancement of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, or IgG), while others observed no differences between groups. Clinical relevance of the immunoglobulin changes was not investigated in these studies. Dairy products and their components could enhance the efficacy of vaccines. This review highlights the evidence gaps and provides a potential roadmap for additional research.

Public health engagement in alcohol licensing in England and Scotland: the ExILEnS mixed-method, natural experiment evaluation.

International systematic reviews suggest an association between alcohol availability and increased alcohol-related harms. Alcohol availability is regulated through separate locally administered licensing systems in England and Scotland, in which local public health teams have a statutory role. The system in Scotland includes a public health objective for licensing. Public health teams engage to varying degrees in licensing matters but no previous study has sought to objectively characterise and measure their activity, examine their effectiveness, or compare practices between Scotland and England. To critically assess the impact and mechanisms of impact of public health team engagement in alcohol premises licensing on alcohol-related harms in England and Scotland. We recruited 39 diverse public health teams in England (n = 27) and Scotland (n = 12). Public health teams more active in licensing were recruited first and then matched to lower-activity public health teams. Using structured interviews (n = 66), documentation analysis, and expert consultation, we developed and applied the Public Health Engagement In Alcohol Licensing (PHIAL) measure to quantify six-monthly activity levels from 2012 to 2019. Time series of PHIAL scores, and health and crime outcomes for each area, were analysed using multivariable negative binomial mixed-effects models to assess correlations between outcome and exposure, with 18-month average PHIAL score as the primary exposure metric. In-depth interviews (n = 53) and a workshop (n = 10) explored public health team approaches and potential mechanisms of impact of alcohol availability interventions with public health team members and licensing stakeholders (local authority licensing officers, managers and lawyers/clerks, police staff with a licensing remit, local elected representatives). Nineteen public health team activity types were assessed in six categories: (1) staffing; (2) reviewing and (3) responding to licence applications; (4) data usage; (5) influencing licensing stakeholders/policy; and (6) public involvement. Usage and intensity of activities and overall approaches varied within and between areas over time, including between Scotland and England. The latter variation could be explained by legal, structural and philosophical differences, including Scotland's public health objective. This objective was felt to legitimise public health considerations and the use of public health data within licensing. Quantitative analysis showed no clear evidence of association between level of public health team activity and the health or crime outcomes examined, using the primary exposure or other metrics (neither change in, nor cumulative, PHIAL scores). Qualitative data suggested that public health team input was valued by many licensing stakeholders, and that alcohol availability may lead to harms by affecting the accessibility, visibility and norms of alcohol consumption, but that the licensing systems have limited power to act in the interests of public health. This study provides no evidence that public health team engagement in local licensing matters was associated with measurable downstream reductions in crime or health harms, in the short term, or over a 7-year follow-up period. The extensive qualitative data suggest that public health team engagement is valued and appears to be slowly reorienting the licensing system to better address health (and other) harms, especially in Scotland, but this will take time. A rise in home drinking, alcohol deliveries, and the inherent inability of the licensing system to reduce - or in the case of online sales, to contain - availability, may explain the null findings and will continue to limit the potential of these licensing systems to address alcohol-related harms. Further analysis could consider the relative success of different public health team approaches in terms of changing alcohol availability and retailing. A key gap relates to the nature and impact of online availability on alcohol consumption, harms and inequalities, alongside development and study of relevant policy options. A national approach to licensing data and oversight would greatly facilitate future studies and public health input to licensing. Our interview data and therefore PHIAL scores may be limited by recall bias where documentary evidence of public health activity was not available, and by possible variability in grading of such activity, though steps were taken to minimise both. The analyses would have benefited from additional data on licensing policies and environmental changes that might have affected availability or harms in the study areas. The study was registered with the Research Registry (researchregistry6162) on 26 October 2020. The study protocol was published in BMC Medical Research Methodology on 6 November 2018. This synopsis presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme as award number 15/129/11.

Clinical Application of Quantitative Light-Induced fluorescent(QLF) device in the Diagnosis of cracked teeth

As social interest in health increases, interest in oral health and preservation of natural teeth are also increasing. The hard tissues in the oral cavity undergo physical changes as age increases. One of the changes is the progress of tooth cracks in natural or restored teeth. These cracks are commonly encountered in daily clinicalpractice but often confuse the operator due to its difficulties in diagnosis and therapeutic access. Diagnosing acracked tooth has been a chanllenge to dental clinicians. For the diagnosis of a cracked tooth, the quantitative light-induced fluorescent (QLF) device, which is capable of detecting fluorescent reactions of the tooth with visible light (405nm), has been introduced as one of the methods for observing tooth cracks. Specific metabolites of microorganisms that penetrate through the crack’s line react with specific autofluorescence to 405nm visible light emitted from the QLF device. These fluorescent image provided by the QLF helps to observe the location of the crack during the diagnosis of a cracked tooth and helps the patient’s dental record. The QLF images provided a magnified image as well as a fluorescent im-age that could identify the location of the crack existing outside the tooth, around the restoration, and inside the cavity after removal of the restoration by a simple process of capturing images. This report shows the process of diagnosis of a cracked tooth using a QLF device by observing three separate cases which can help clinicians to understand this process.

Study and analysis of the structural-biochemical characteristics in Mollicutes biofilms formation

Biofilms have a wide distribution in various environments and even in devices used in medical practice, for this reason its relevance to study these structures and consider strategies to prevent their development and the effects they imply. Due to the medical importance that mycoplasmas represent, the objective of the present work was to analyze the capacity of Mycoplasma fermentans P140 to form a biofilm on an inert surface and to document the characteristics of the process in the formation of biofilm in Mollicutes. The interaction of the culture of Mycoplasma fermentans P140 with intrauterine devices for 72 hours showed by macroscopic analysis the crystal violet staining of the technique to evaluate biofilm formation, stereoscopic microscopy showed the formation of cell aggregates and by scanning electron microscopy the characteristic formation of biofilm. The search for reports referring to studies of biofilm formation in Mollicutes showed that there is recent evidence of biofilm formation in this group of microorganisms, both of veterinary medical interest and of interest in public health. Through metabolomics studies, it will be possible to demonstrate the metabolic products during the formation of biofilms in the different genera and species of these bacteria. Representing these investigations relevance to the field of public health and other ecosystems where health-disease processes are related.

Clinical trials and their impact on policy during COVID-19: a review.

Of over 8,000 recorded randomised trials addressing COVID-19, around 80% were of treatments, and 17% have reported results. Approximately 1% were adaptive or platform trials, with 25 having results available, across 29 journal articles and 10 preprint articles. We conducted an extensive literature review to address four questions about COVID-19 trials, particularly the role and impact of platform/adaptive trials and lessons learned. The key findings were: Q1. Social value in conducting trials and uptake into policy? COVID-19 drug treatments varied substantially and changed considerably, with drugs found effective in definitive clinical trials replacing unproven drugs. Dexamethasone has likely saved ½-2 million lives, and was cost effective across a range of countries and populations, whereas the cost effectiveness of remdesivir is uncertain. Published economic and health system impacts of COVID-19 treatments were infrequent. Q2. Issues with adaptive trial designs. Of the 77 platform trials registered, 6 major platform trials, with approximately 50 treatment arms, recruited ~135,000 participants with funding over $100 million. Q3. Models of good practice. Streamlined set-up processes such as flexible and fast-track funding, ethics, and governance approvals are vital. To facilitate recruitment, simple and streamlined research processes, and pre-existing research networks to coordinate trial planning, design, conduct and practice change are crucial to success. Q4. Potential conflicts to avoid? When treating patients through trials, balancing individual and collective rights and allocating scarce resources between healthcare and research are challenging. Tensions occur between commercial and non-commercial sectors, and academic and public health interests, such as publication and funding driven indicators and the public good. There is a need to (i) reduce small, repetitive, single centre trials, (ii) increase coordination to ensure robust research conducted for treatments, and (iii) a wider adoption of adaptive/platform trial designs to respond to fast-evolving evidence landscape.

Medical students’ career preferences in Bangladesh

AimThis study aimed to investigate the career preferences among Bangladeshi medical students, identify the factors that influence their present choices, and additionally report the role of gender and academic year behind their decisions.MethodsThis cross-sectional study conducted in Bangladesh from August 2022 to April 2023 included 801 medical students conveniently selected from medical colleges in eight divisions. Data were collected using a web-based survey and analysed using STATA version 16.0. Statistical tests included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequency, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. The response rate was 94.6%, and the CHERRIES guideline was followed for reporting the results.ResultThe majority of the participants were female (64.42%) and under the age of 23 years (58.8%). The study revealed that medicine was the preferred career choice for the majority of students (65%), with surgery being the most popular first choice (30.21%) among them. Female medical students showed a significantly higher preference for gynaecology & obstetrics (p < 0.001), while male students had a significantly higher tendency to choose general practice (p = 0.002). There is a significant gender difference (p < 0.05) in the career preference factors, including professional prestige, role model influence, easy money, family time, promotion opportunities, income for lifestyle, and research opportunities. Academic year differences were also observed, with increasing interest in medicine and public health (p < 0.001), a decrease in interest in surgery (p < 0.001), and a decline in preference for non-medical careers as students progressed through their MBBS life (p < 0.05).ConclusionOverall, medicine was the most popular speciality choice, however, male students preferred general practice and female students preferred gynaecology and obstetrics more. Personal passion, opportunities for contribution to society, professional prestige, having a direct dealing with patients, and income will allow an enjoyable lifestyle were the most important factors in the choice of their career.

Current insights into genome-based personalized nutrition technology: a patent review.

Unlike general nutritional ranges that meet the nutritional needs essential for maintaining the life of an entire population, personalized nutrition is characterised by maintaining health through providing customized nutrition according to individuals' lifestyles or genetic characteristics. The development of technology and services for personalized nutrition is increasing, owing to the acquisition of knowledge about the differences in nutritional requirements according to the diversity of individuals and an increase in health interest. Regarding genetics, technology is being developed to distinguish the various characteristics of individuals and provide customized nutrition. Therefore, to understand the current state of personalized nutrition technology, understanding genomics is necessary to acquire information on nutrition research based on genomics. We reviewed patents related to personalized nutrition-targeting genomics and examined their mechanisms of action. Using the patent database, we searched 694 patents on nutritional genomics and extracted 561 highly relevant valid data points. Furthermore, an in-depth review was conducted by selecting core patents related to genome-based personalized nutrition technology. A marked increase was observed in personalized nutrition technologies using methods such as genetic scoring and disease-specific dietary recommendations.