Research Interest Group Research Articles

Naturopathy Special Interest Group Research Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey.

Objectives: Despite recent shifts in regulation and recognition of the role that naturopathy plays in health care delivery in Canada, comparatively little research has been conducted regarding individuals who conduct naturopathy-related research. A survey was undertaken to better understand the needs and capacity of these individuals to conduct more research.Design, Setting, and Subjects: The Naturopathy Special Interest Group (N-SIG) of the Interdisciplinary Network of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (INCAM) Researchers created and distributed a survey of individuals interested in naturopathy-related research to assess gaps between current and desired research activity and needs for further participation.Outcome measures: Results from a previous pilot study (2014; n = 58) were used to inform the design and distribution. This study received approval and oversight from the Research Ethics Board of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.Results: The survey was completed by 201 individuals (∼5%–10% of all naturopathic doctors and naturopathy researchers in Canada). The majority (70%) had no peer-reviewed publication experience; however, 63% reported having published in a nonpeer-reviewed medium. Respondents reported differing levels of confidence in completing various components of a research project. Frequently selected obstacles included lack of time due to professional and personal obligations, as well as insufficient training, funding, and mentorship. The greatest identified needs for participation in research were mentorship/support, access to a wider degree of scientific journals, and targeted funding opportunities for CAM research. Overall, the results of this survey suggest that there is interest in further conducting naturopathy-related research in Canada. There are individuals who are already involved and have expressed skills in the area of evidence-based medicine. Mentorship, research training, resources, and critical appraisal and writing skills may be important leverage points.Conclusion: Findings from this investigation will be used to inform an agenda for naturopathy-related research and activities of the N-SIG with respect to enhancing research capacity. Other CAM groups or geographic regions could consider using similar methodology to assess capacity and needs for research participation.

Reflections on the role, experience and emerging issues from the research interest group, Governance and Governing in Education

Reflections on the role, experience and emerging issues from the research interest group, Governance and Governing in Education

OP06 Evaluating Public Health Interventions: A Neglected Area In HTA

IntroductionPublic health (PH) interventions are crucial for ensuring sustainable healthcare infrastructures. Nevertheless, they represent a neglected area in HTA due to various methodological issues and their complex design that goes beyond clinical setting. Our study provides an environmental scan of HTA initiatives related to the assessment of PH technologies on a global level.MethodsThe Initiative for Public Health Outcomes Research and Measurement (INPHORM) interest group has conducted a survey among European and international societies, health bodies and networks during September 2018. The questionnaire evaluates what kind of PH technologies and/or interventions have been evaluated in the last five years, or are planned for the future.ResultsOur preliminary findings from November 2018 indicate a total of 94 initiated and 44 completed surveys. Among the completed ones, the majority of respondents came from European countries (36%), followed by North (30%) and South America (16%) countries. Sixty-eight percent of institutions reported engagement in any aspect of HTA in the area of PH (N = 30). Medical aspects of the PH technology are considered by 83 percent of the institutions, followed by organizational impact (67%), economic evaluation (60%) and societal consequences (60%). An average of four PH technologies has been evaluated by the responding institutions in the last five years. In reference to methodological aspects, 90 percent of institutions used a classical HTA approach for evaluating PH interventions, while 40 percent used budget impact analyses. Among the barriers for reaching a decision, conflicting stakeholder priorities, lack of data and clear methodological frameworks were most commonly cited.ConclusionsData analysis is currently on-going and final results will be presented during the Cologne meeting. This study will allow to raise awareness about the importance of PH interventions in HTA, identify existing gaps and propose future methodological developments.

Digital Currencies: An Analysis of Its Present Regulation in the UK: A Collaborative Essay by NINSO, the Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group

Digital currencies, whilst being an innovative payment method, poses several regulatory challenges in light of the possibilities to be used for a criminal purpose. This collaborative essay illustrates a brief report, which intends to provide for a general outlook on the UK’s effort in understanding the risks digital currencies pose to financial crime, money laundering, terrorist financing and cybercrime. This premise paves the way for ensuring the balance between protection of essential interests and innovation, most notably, in ensuring the implementation of the 5th Money Laundering Directive. The present contribution is prepared by the Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group (NINSO). The NINSO group is multidisciplinary research group that shares research interests on technology and its significance in law, computer-science, social sciences, and engineering. Being interested in a holistic outlook of technological developments, it frequently organises seminars that aim to strengthen both, collaborations and the quality of academic research in this area.

‘Myths and Truths on the Internet and its Regulation’: A Report on Dr Paul Bernal's Seminar, ‘The Internet, Warts and All: Free Speech, Privacy and Truth’ by Ninso, Northumbria Internet & Society Research Group

Dr Paul Bernal’s seminar presenting his book, ‘the Internet, Warts and All: Free Speech, Privacy and Truth’ offers an insightful quest into the meaning of ‘truth’, with its unappealing features including myths surrounding the regulation of the internet, taking a holistic approach of digital policies, surveillance laws and practical perceptions on the Internet. The author engages into a lively discussion in how to understand the internet ‘with its warts and all’, arguing that in order to develop sensible laws, we need to understand the internet as a ‘creative and contradictory mess’. The conclusion is based on a series of observations, suggesting that a regulatory approach of the internet needs to be ‘subtler and nuanced’, considering the political, technological and societal implications in tackling various aspects of the internet. His book consists of an interesting collection of perspectives from various academic disciplines, as well as the author’s own opinions, to form a view on the nature of the internet that serves as one possible starting point to develop an effective regulatory approach of the internet. The book’s broad-brush approach in outlining the myths of the internet, with a focus on surveillance, privacy and freedom of speech, suggests that there is no universal formula to address the complexities of the internet while maintaining ‘freedom of speech, privacy, and truth’. The present contribution is prepared by the Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group (NINSO). The NINSO group is a multidisciplinary research group that shares research interests on technology and its significance for law, computer-science, social sciences, and engineering. Being interested in a holistic outlook of technological developments, it frequently organises seminars that aim to provide opportunities for collaborations and strengthen the quality of academic research in this area.

Summary of the 2018 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

On January 26, 2018, the 23rd annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. The meeting consisted of plenary sessions with oral presentations and a poster presentation session. There were four plenary sessions that covered a wide range of topics relating to alcohol use: Alcohol and Liver Disease; Alcohol, Inflammation and Immune Response; Alcohol and Organ Injury; Heath Consequences and Alcohol Drinking. The meeting provided a forum for the presentation and discussion of novel research findings regarding alcohol use and immunology.

The Internet: To Regulate or Not Regulate?

This submission was prepared in response to a call for evidence launched on 29 March 2 by the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications entitled “The Internet: To Regulate or Not to Regulate?”. The broad inquiry sought evidence to explore how the regulation of the internet should be improved, and to consider whether online platforms which mediate individuals’ use of the internet have sufficient accountability and transparency, and whether they use fair and effective processes to moderate content. This collaborative response, prepared on behalf of NINSO (The Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group), provides recommendations in relation to the wide range of issues raised by the Committee. The key themes that are highlighted by NINSO to be addressed by any reform are effective user education and the power imbalance between the platform and user. NINSO recommends that an empirical, holistic, evidence-based approach should be applied which is tailored appropriately to the size and resources of the platform as well as the context of the situation.

Blockchain as a Disruptive Technology. Notes from a Seminar of Ninso, the Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group

This report is based on a NINSO seminar presented by Dr Giuseppe Destefanis, a guest speaker from the School of Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire. NINSO is a multidisciplinary research group with members from various academic departments, among them being Law, Business, IT, Mass Communications, Sociology, Mathematics and Engineering. The invention of blockchain and its integration into our daily lives has had a significant impact on the technological world. One of the most prominent uses of blockchain is in cryptocurrencies. Our society has become ‘cryptocurrency crazy’, but there is a lack of understanding as to how the technology behind it works. This report addresses blockchain technology from a Computer Science perspective.

Connecting Translational Nurse Scientists Across the Nation—The Nurse Scientist-Translational Research Interest Group

Translation science is the process of transdisciplinary teams accelerating the discoveries and findings from the laboratory, clinic, and community, and moving them into interventions that improve the health of individuals and populations. These discoveries include new forms of diagnostics, novel therapeutics, and innovative medical and behavioral interventions. The role of nurses in translational science is a natural fit, given the transdisciplinary nature of their work, the evolving role of nursing science, and the high-level of patient and family-centered interaction that nurses have as clinicians and scientists. As Clinical and Translational Science Awards were being developed across the nation, nurses felt the need for a stronger and more united voice. In 2010, nurse leaders in this field started the Nurse Scientist-Translational Interest Research Group (NS-TRIG). The group is now in its eighth year and provides a forum for nurse scientists to connect, communicate and collaborate. The purpose of this article is to describe the formation and background of the NS-TRIG, describe our meeting structure and provide examples of content. We also describe a summary of major accomplishments and work products of the NS-TRIG, and consider lessons learned and future directions of the group.

Critical Educational Policy and Leadership Studies (CEPALS) research interest group (RIG)

Critical Educational Policy and Leadership Studies (CEPALS) research interest group (RIG)

Special Issue on Leadership, Preparation and Development

This Special Issue of Management in Education originated from the new research interest group (RIG) launched in May 2015. The RIG was a response to a BELMAS EdD symposium, held at the University of Nottingham, back in October 2014, where it was thought that the leadership preparation and development of school teachers required more in-depth research. The Leadership Preparation and Development (LPD) RIG has held two or three very well attended events each year since. These have examined the fast-moving changes in this area. England is the only country in the world that has introduced a mandatory qualification for headship, and then removed it again, and it was following this decision that this RIG was established to shed light on what preparation and development is taking place for school leaders within current systems. Early on, the RIG convenors decided that a way forward for the group was to look at LPD from the angles of global, macro, meso and micro levels. We have used this at all RIG sessions since, sometimes having presentations on the micro level – an in-depth look at what individual schools are doing to help prepare and develop their future leaders, through to our last RIG meeting where a panel event was held in order to ascertain what strategies are currently being deployed to effectively prepare and develop our future school leaders both nationally and internationally. Information on all these events and our forthcoming RIG meeting are available on our RIG page: https://www.belmas.org.uk/Rig-LD/Overview.

Status of Canadian undergraduate medical education in ophthalmology

ObjectiveTo use the perspectives of undergraduate program directors to assess the current structure and adequacy of undergraduate ophthalmology curricula at Canadian medical schools. DesignCross-sectional survey. ParticipantsUndergraduate ophthalmology program directors at each English-speaking Canadian medical school. MethodsProgram directors were identified and invited to participate in an online survey. The 18-question survey focused on key areas of undergraduate ophthalmology curricula, including length, timeline, setting, and nature of medical students’ exposure to ophthalmology. A period of 4 months was allowed for responses. Information from medical school web sites was combined with survey responses. ResultsResponses were obtained from 7 of the 14 (50%) program directors. All of the respondents represented metropolitan institutions of greater than 100 seats. After combining survey and web site data, only 5 of 14 (35.7%) schools were found to have a mandatory clinical clerkship ophthalmology rotation. In each case, the mandatory rotation is less than 2 weeks. A core curriculum based on the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) guidelines is used in only 20% of schools. Extracurricular ophthalmology exposure in the form of research opportunities and interest groups exists in 100% and 71.4% of schools, respectively. ConclusionsThe proportion of schools requiring mandatory clerkship ophthalmology rotations is only 35.7%. However, most departments use strategies to optimize the limited time allotted to ophthalmology rotations during medical school. A greater degree of adherence to the ICO curriculum guidelines may help to ensure that medical students develop an appropriate level of proficiency in managing patients with eye disease.

The BELMAS Leadership Preparation and Development Research Interest Group

This summary explains the Leadership Preparation and Development RIG: what its aims are; how to get involved; what the benefits are of participation; and then gives a viewpoint from a RIG attendee. As we all know, education policy is a fast-moving area. Consequently, Research Interest Groups are established when a group of academic colleagues team up with a group of practitioners to discuss and research the changes that are happening in a particular area. The BELMAS Leadership, Preparation and Development Research Interest Group is open to all those who have an interest in researching leadership development in its broadest sense, including educational leaders, researchers and research students. Its aim is to build a forum and network capable of generating and facilitating exchange and partnership on a continuing basis across the full range of research interests, professional contexts and contemporary issues relating to leadership development, and the ways in which we prepare leaders in education for their roles.

Algorithms and Chimpanzees: Notes from a Seminar of NINSO, the Northumbria Internet & Society Research Interest Group

This report is based on a seminar presented by Dr Guido Noto La Diega of NINSO, The Northumbria Internet and Society Research Interest Group. NINSO is a multidisciplinary research group with members from various academic departments, among them being Law, Business, IT, Mass Communications, Sociology, Mathematics and Engineering. Today, whether or not we realize and acknowledge it, algorithms play a fundamental role in our daily lives. Sometimes, it is just trivial things like recommending a video on YouTube or an advert on Facebook. However, sometimes algorithms play a role in more important matters, such as deciding whether we should be sent to prison or whether we should get fired from our jobs. This report addresses the rise of algorithmic decision-making from a legal perspective.

Summary of the 2017 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

On June 24, 2017, the 22nd annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held as a satellite conference during the annual Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Scientific Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The 2017 meeting focused broadly on mechanisms that link alcohol to tissue injury and inflammation, and how this research can be translated to improve human health. Two plenary sessions composed the meeting, which first explored the association between alcohol and trauma/tissue injury, and finished with a discussion of alcohol and mucosal inflammation. The presentations encompassed diverse areas of alcohol research, from effects on the brain, to airway and pulmonary systems, to gut barrier disruption. The discussions also thoughtfully highlighted how current laboratory and clinical research can be used to prevent or treat alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

Georgia Library Association - Research and Assessment Interest Group

Georgia Library Association - Research and Assessment Interest Group

Summary of the 2016 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

On November 18, 2016 the 21st annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the Center for Translational Research and Education at Loyola University Chicago's Health Sciences Campus in Maywood, IL. The 2016 meeting focused broadly on alcohol and inflammation, epigenetics, and the microbiome. The four plenary sessions of the meeting were Alcohol, Inflammation, and Immunity; Alcohol and Epigenetics; Alcohol, Transcriptional Regulation, and Epigenetics; and Alcohol, Intestinal Mucosa, and the Gut Microbiome. Presentations in all sessions of the meeting explored putative underlying causes for chronic diseases and mortality associated with alcohol consumption, shedding light on future work and potential therapeutic targets to alleviate the negative effects of alcohol misuse.

Studying interest groups: methodological challenges and tools

Research on interest groups has evolved from a focus on small-N studies to larger-N studies in the past 15 years. While both European and American research has become more sophisticated and aware of methodological aspects, there is yet no specialized literature on methods regarding how to study interest groups. Only few studies discuss the methodological implications of interest group studies, as well as the transferability of methods employed in other areas of political science to this research area. The contributions in this symposium focus on major problems and topics in interest group research and elaborate methods to deal with them: (1) the identification of the relevant interest group population, (2) the analysis of interest group strategies such as access, (3) the identification of interest groups positions and frames, and (4) the measurement of interest group success and influence. The introduction outlines these research problems and describes how the contributions to this symposium address them. The aim of the symposium is to increase awareness of the intricacies of these research problems, outline suitable practices to handle them, and stimulate debate on these methodological aspects.

What is access? a discussion of the definition and measurement of interest group access

Interest group research has focused extensively on political access. While access does not guarantee influence, it is customarily seen as a crucial step towards gaining political influence. It is argued that groups with access are, all else equal, more likely to be influential than groups without access. Biased access may thus result in biased influence. On the basis of a review of this literature, the article shows how the concept of access rests on an intuitive understanding rather than an explicit definition. This hampers methodological discussions of measurement. We propose to define access as instances where a group has entered a political arena (parliament, administration, or media) passing a threshold controlled by relevant gatekeepers (politicians, civil servants, or journalists). On the basis of this discussion, we compare operationalisations based on our proposed definition with some of the major alternatives found in the literature.

The Social and Cultural Dimensions of Health as a Research Agenda: Establishing the Need for a Research Interest Group (RIG)in Social Medicine

<p class="Body"><em>&quot;Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.&quot;)</em> <p class="Body"><em>-Constitution of the World Health Organization</em> <p class="Body">The terms <em>&quot;health inequities,&quot; &quot;health disparities,&quot; </em>and<em> &quot;health inequalities&quot;</em> reflect the magnitude of differences in health outcomes existing in populations unless we address the underlying causes of disease and I&#39;ll health. In the Philippines, Kalusugang Pangkalahatan (KP) or Universal Health Care (UHC) is the health reform agenda of the Aquino administration which has been implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) since 2011.