Interest In Health Research Articles

HEARING AND VISION LOSS: EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND INTERVENTION IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION, LONELINESS, AND MOOD DISORDERS

Abstract This session will discuss hearing loss and vision impairment as modifiable risk factors for social isolation, loneliness, and mood disorders from both epidemiologic and intervention perspectives. Prevalence of hearing and vision loss is high; two-thirds of older adults have hearing loss and over one-quarter have vision impairment. Hearing loss and vision impairment have been linked to poor cognitive and physical health but remain understudied in the context of social and mental health in large, population-based studies. Research gaps remain in measurement (findings typically based on subjective assessments) and generalizability. This session will investigate associations between objectively measured hearing, vision, and dual sensory loss on social isolation and mood disorders using a sample nationally representative of older adults in the US. This session will also describe potential mechanistic and environmental factors, such as fatigue and exclusion of hearing loss and vision impairment in health care settings that may explain observed associations. Whether treatment of hearing loss and vision impairment is an effective intervention for improving social and mental health is unknown. We will conclude by presenting findings from a randomized controlled trial designed to test whether a hearing intervention consisting of provision of hearing aids and related technologies, counseling, and education could reduce cognitive decline in older adults with untreated hearing loss. We focus on the effect of hearing intervention on social isolation and loneliness, both pre-specified outcomes of this trial. This is a Loneliness and Social Isolation Interest Group Sponsored Symposium. This is a collaborative symposium between the Loneliness and Social Isolation and Sensory Health Interest Groups.

Do Commercial Insect Repellents Provide Protection against the Tick Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae)?

Amblyomma sculptum is a species of public health interest because it is associated with the transmission of the bacteria that causes Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). The use of repellents on humans is a prophylactic measure widely used to provide protection against a series of arthropod vectors, including mosquitoes and ticks. However, in Brazil, the effectiveness of commercial repellents against A. sculptum is little known. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out specific studies to evaluate the repellency of these commercial products, registered for use against mosquitoes, against the star tick. The main goal of the present work was to evaluate the effectiveness of six commercial repellents against A. sculptum. Unfed nymphs, aged between two and eight weeks, were tested against products based on DEET (OFF!® and Repelex®), Icaridin (Exposis® and SBP®), and IR3535 (Johnsons and Henlau). Three bioassays were conducted to evaluate tick behavior: (i) filter paper, (ii) fingertip, and (iii) field. All bases tested showed high repellent activity, differing significantly (p < 0.05) from the control. It was observed the formulation with DEET resulted in the best results in the filter paper bioassay. In the fingertip bioassay, the DEET base repelled a greater number of ticks compared to Icaridin. In the field bioassay, there was no significant difference between the Icaridin base and DEET, and both formulations differed from the control (p < 0.05). The six formulations tested showed significant percentages of repellency against ticks; however, for the fingertip and field bioassays, the products OFF!®, Repelex®, and Exposis® were tested as they showed better performance in the filter paper test. OFF!® showed the best percentage of repellency (100%), followed by Repelex® (96.8%), and Exposis® (93.1%), considering the two-hour period of the bioassay-field-test. Proving the effectiveness of repellents on the market against A. sculptum presented in this study is crucial, since this is the main ectoparasite of humans that can transmit Rickettsia rickettsii when infected. The effectiveness of commercial insect repellents against other tick species that parasitize humans can also be explored.

ORAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND DIABETES

Abstract Older adults with cognitive impairment or diabetes have a higher risk of poor oral health. It is therefore critically important to develop effective intervention strategies to improve oral health for these vulnerable populations. In this session, we have included three studies that aim to achieve this goal using different strategies. The first study used stakeholder engaged processes to develop an app that provides information and guidance to caregivers (i.e., paid and family caregivers) to support their oral care provision for older adults with dementia. Findings from this study show that the app was well-accepted and provided an easily accessible tool for caregivers during care provision. The second study aimed to improve oral hygiene outcomes (plaque index and gingival index) for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia (MD). In this study, the authors identified and compared active behavior change techniques (BCT) used in a care partner-assisted oral health intervention for individuals with MCI and MD using a qualitative, secondary analysis of coaching sessions with care partners. Findings from this study provide insight into the mechanisms of change in individuals’ behaviors using these interventions. The third study was a systematic review aiming to explore the age differences in the effect of multi-component periodontal treatments on oral and metabolic indicators among individuals with periodontitis and diabetes. This study identified 115 eligible trials. This study found that the effect of multi-component periodontal treatments on periodontal outcomes and HbA1c may be more effective among younger populations. This is an Oral Health Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

SENSORY LOSS IN AGING: SPOTLIGHTING JUNIOR AND NEW GSA INVESTIGATORS IN THE SENSORY HEALTH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

Abstract Our senses (hearing, vision, touch, taste, smell) are the means by which our brains perceive our environment, allowing us to engage and connect with our world. Recommendations for maintaining brain health and function with age include maintaining strong social connections and participating in intellectually stimulating mental and physical activities. However, our senses are what allow us to engage in these activities. Sensory loss is common in older adults, with over 2/3 of adults over age 55 experiencing loss in multiple senses. The goal of the Sensory Health Special Interest Group (SIG) is to foster collaboration and dissemination of research and clinical/educational resources for professionals interested in sensory health and the effects of sensory impairments on the overall health and well-being of older adults. This session will meet this goal by highlighting work that demonstrates the importance of sensory health with age conducted by outstanding Sensory Health SIG investigators who are early in their career path or who are new to GSA. We will start by discussing the importance of olfaction for mental health over time in older adults and vision for markers of neurodegeneration. We will then have three presentations that consider multiple risk factors, including sensory loss, for cognitive function. First, we will present on the moderation of the association between hearing loss and dementia by sleep. We will then present on the association between multisensory loss and cognitive test performance, and finally, how the inclusion of sensorimotor measures can improve prediction of subsequent neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. This is a Sensory Health Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

Cell Death &amp; Certainty

I’m Diya Mukherjee, a high school senior based in San Jose, CA with an interest in computational biology and public health. The summer of 2023 marked a turning point for me that is familiar to any science student: my first wet lab experience. I was given the incredible opportunity to participate in the Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) at Rockefeller University in New York, NY, working with research mentors from the Fuchs Lab of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development on a project about the role of inflammation in skin cancer. Cell Death &amp; Certainty depicts an incident from my third week of the program, in which many of my cell samples began to mysteriously die overnight. I deliberately wrote the story with a melodramatic tone, because I think that science so often feels that way.

Impact of food swap recommendations on dietary choices in an online supermarket: A randomized controlled trial

One novel strategy to shift food choices in digital shopping environments is to automatically recommend healthier alternatives when an unhealthy choice is made. However, this raises the question which alternative products to recommend. This study assesses 1) whether healthier food swap recommendations are effective, even though the unhealthy choice was made in the presence of visible FOP nutrition labels, and 2) how the similarity of the alternatives influences the acceptance of food swap recommendations. Based on a pre-test, similarity of the recommendation was operationalized in terms of animal-based versus plant-based options. A randomized controlled trial (healthy food swap recommendation conditions: none, similar animal-based, dissimilar plant-based, or mixed animal- and plant-based) with 428 Dutch participants was conducted in a simulated online supermarket. Additional healthier food swap recommendations improved the nutritional quality of the final basket compared to only providing Nutri-Score nutrition labels (−1.7 mean FSA score, p < .001, medium Cohen’s d = −0.48). Compared to the dissimilar condition, acceptance of an alternative was more likely in the mixed (odds-ratio = 2.78, p = .015) and in the similar condition (odds-ratio = 2.24, p = .048), but the nutritional quality of the final basket did not differ between treatment conditions. Individuals in treatment conditions who did not receive any recommendation (i.e. only made healthy choices) had higher Nutri-Score familiarity and general health interest than individuals who received recommendations. This suggests that for individuals with higher knowledge and motivation FOP nutrition labels were sufficient, whereas for individuals with lower knowledge and motivation additional food swap recommendations can improve dietary choices. Food swap recommendations may act as meaningful reminders by disrupting the automatic choice process and triggering individuals to rethink their (unhealthy) choice.

Climate change perception and its association with cancer screening intent.

As the climate crisis deepens, its adverse effects on human health are becoming evident, including impacts on cancer pathogenesis and treatment. This study explored the link between individuals' awareness of the health impacts of climate change and interest in cancer screening. Using the 2021 Health Information National Trends Survey, our study demonstrated astatistically significant association between recognition of climate change as a personal health threat and interest in cancer screening. Although the study's retrospective nature and self-reported data pose some limitations, these findings signal a promising avenue for future research on the intersection of climate and cancer risk. This research supports the development of public health interventions that incorporate components of environmental health literacy alongside cancer screening efforts.

Expanding Global Health Engagement through Multilateral Security Organizations.

Many countries around the world employ defense capabilities in support of global health engagement (GHE) through bilateral and multilateral organizations. Despite this, there does not appear to be a strategic approach and implementation plan for U.S. DoD GHE in support of and through multilateral organizations. The purpose of this research is to identify which security multilateral organizations are engaged in GHE, as well as how and why. These findings could inform an interoperable approach for doing so going forward. A systematic review was conducted to develop a list of multilateral security organizations and agreements which engage in GHE, or could potentially play a role in GHE. Of the 3,488 agreements and organizations identified, 15 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 87% (13/15) of the multilateral organizations are regional and 13% (2/15) are international, all established between 1948 and 2020. The 15 organizations cover all DoD Geographical Combatant Commands. Among them, 20% (3/15) are a legally binding alliance, 73% (11/15) have a treaty, and 7% (1/15) have a diplomatic partnership. Twenty percent (3/15) have an explicit intent to improve health in either their mission statement or as part of their goals, priorities, and/or objectives. Eighty percent (12/15) engage in at least two GHE domains outlined in DoD Policy, 67% in three (10/15), and 47% in all four (7/15). The most common domain is humanitarian assistance and foreign disaster response at 100% (15/15) and least common is Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs at 53% (8/15). Although there is high demand for GHE, resourcing to enable implementation has not been prioritized. Therefore, multilateral organizations continue to support what is funded (e.g., disaster response) versus prioritizing capacity building or modifying authorities and appropriations to match demand. It is also worth noting most organizations included in this review support the European theater aligning to historical defense priorities, versus emerging threats in the Indo-Pacific region. Identifying a forum within these multilateral institutions to convene GHE policy makers and practitioners is a logical next step. The forums could guide and direct priorities, devise solutions, and implement best practices. Near term efforts could include GHE financing, governance, assurance, and technical assistance within and across multilateral institutions. Recent efforts highlight growth in both interest and action to support the variety of GHE activities regionally and internationally. As the United States seeks to reinforce multilateral institutions and uphold the international and rules-based order, employing GHE through multilateral cooperation could buttress efforts. Now is a perfect time given the sustained interest in global health, amplified value of allies and partners, and renewed emphasis placed on multilateral cooperation for the DoD to design a multilateral GHE strategy and seek Congressional support to resource it accordingly.

Building Interest in the Primary Care Specialty Through Enhanced Global Health Experience.

Background An overwhelming majority of matriculating medical students in the USA are keen to deliver quality health care to all people, including the socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in remote, resource-scarce regions nationally and worldwide. Here, we describe a protocol developed to evaluate the interest of our medical students in global health activities. We also examined the relationship between students' interest in global health and readiness to pursue a future career in the primary care specialty. Materials and methods We designed a survey in Qualtrics online software and reached all first-year and third-year medical students between 2019 and 2022 enrolled at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM).The survey utilized ordinal scale items to explore the medical students' interest in primary care residency programs, their interest in global health and international travel, and their perceptions of how a range of factors might motivate their desire to participate in global health activities. The study was approved by ACOM's Institutional Review Board (IRB). In order to compare findings from this study withdata from other medical schools, we developed constructs using the national aggregate data, in percentages, from matriculants and graduates of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree-granting medical schools according to gender, published by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). Statistical analysis of national aggregate data was performed using the unpaired t-test. Results Both female and maleparticipants had lived or traveled abroad before starting medical school.Female (98%, n=249) and male (95%, n=140) participants in the first-year cohorts considered helping the underserved population as important or very important as it is related to a career in medicine. Females in the third-year cohorts (97%, n=71) also ranked this statement as important or very important compared to male cohorts (89%, n=31). Ahigher proportion of females (43%, n=108) compared to males (35%, n=52) in first-year cohorts agreed or strongly agreed that they would likely pursue a residency in primary care.More females (59%, n=43)than males (46%, n=16)in the third-year cohorts agreed or strongly agreed with the same statement. Analysis of the aggregatenational data (2009-2022) revealed that the percentage (actual count not available) of female students who plannedto practice in underserved/shortage areawas higher both at the time of matriculation (M=51%, SD=4%) and before graduation (M=40%, SD=4%) compared to males (matriculation: M=40%, SD=5%; graduation: M=33%, SD=4%) presenting a significant difference (matriculation t(24)=6.7, p<0.0001; graduation t(24)=5.4, p<0.0001). Furthermore, a higher percentage of females at the time of matriculation (M=25%, SD=5%) and graduation (M=40%, SD=6%) plannedto practice in the primary care specialtiescompared to males (matriculation: M=17%, SD=4%; graduation: M=29%, SD=6%) presenting a significant difference (matriculation: t(24)=4.6, p = 0.0001; graduation: t(24)=4.8, p<0.0001). Conclusions Interest in global health activities may be associated with interest in pursuing a future career in the primary care specialty. In this study, more female medical students expressed interestin participating in global healthexperiences, serving the underserved population domesticallyand abroad, andexpressing interest in primary care than males.

PP42 Insights Of Health Technology Assessment In Brazilian Health Unified System: Areas Of Interests In Health

IntroductionThe National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation of the Brazilian Public Health System’ s (Conitec) principle is to advise the Ministry of Health (MS) in the tasks related to incorporation, exclusion or modification of any health technologies into the Unified Health System (SUS). Moreover, this also involves alteration of clinical protocols or therapeutic guidelines. All of the recommendations consider the international classification of diseases (CID) as a common language that allows health professionals and managers to understand standardized information, to identify trends and benefits of recommendations in each therapeutic area.MethodsThis exploratory, descriptive and retrospective study aims to provide qualitative and quantitative data from the technologies evaluated by the Conitec in the period June 2012 to November 2022. Data were extracted in Conitec’s website.ResultsThe searches resulted in 763 recommendations in total. Among them, the most evaluated therapeutic area was Infectology with 126 technologies (16.5%). In this field the highlighted diseases and conditions were Hepatitis 42 (33.3%); HIV 23 (18.3%) and COVID-19 11 (8.7%). In Oncology, 113 recommended technologies (14.8%) were identified, in order of prominence for the diseases: Breast Cancer 21 (18.6%); Colorectal Cancer 11 (9.7%); Leukemias 17 (15.0%). In the Respiratory Diseases area, 89 technologies (11.7%) were recommended, among them: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 17 (19.1%); Asthma 15 (16.9%) and COVID-19 11 (12.4%). These results clarify which diseases are most needing new technologies to be treated.ConclusionsThe results show what conditions and fields in health needs to be prioritized for public policies and prevention measures. This study demonstrates how important is to make accessible the public health information, improving public knowledge and social actions in SUS.

Abstract A057: Contact registry for health-related cancer research: Promoting inclusion in research

Abstract Contact Registries are an essential resource in recruiting and retaining research participants. They are often used to gather contact and demographic information such as a person’s mailing address, age, phone number, race and/or ethnicity, and health interests which help to determine their eligibility for future studies. Contact Registries can play a key role in promoting research participation among underrepresented groups, and therefore aid in the elimination of cancer health disparities. The purpose of the Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center Contact Registry was to create a database of Black/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a participants who are interested in learning about future research projects conducted at one of the following CaRE2 institutions: the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), the University of Florida (UF), and the University of Southern California (USC). Our primary objective is to increase the number of persons aware of the conduct of cancer research, to ultimately increase the number of persons participating in cancer health-related research from African American and Hispanic/Latino communities in both Florida and California. The CaRE2 Contact Registry was implemented in August 2022 by the CaRE2 Community Outreach Core, one of the six (6) key cores within the CaRE2 Center. Recruitment consists of both in-person and online methods available in both Spanish and English and data storage through REDCap. For in-person enrollment a consent/authorization form and OPT IN survey are completed; meanwhile, our online recruitment requires an additional screening questionnaire. Eligibility for our registry requires that the participant resides in either California or Florida, must be 18+ years old, Black/African American, and/or Hispanic/Latino/a. In addition to collecting contact and demographic information, participants are able to choose their research study preferences. For example, they can choose to participate in surveys, community forums, focus groups, a cancer advocacy training program, and/or to provide a hair, saliva, or blood sample. Upon survey completion, a compensation of a $10.00 Walmart gift card, either in a physical or electronic version, is provided to each participant. Our study team promotes the registry at local community events and through our center’s social media accounts and website (https://care2healthequitycenter.org/the-care2-contact-registry/). With a targeted goal of 2,000 participants, we currently have 509 at UF; of which, 440 are Black/African American and 69 Hispanic/Latino, and have agreed to learn more about cancer research in their communities. In conclusion, we present information on our innovative recruitment efforts that can be beneficial in other community-based participatory research studies. We also share the challenges and barriers experienced when implementing this registry. It is of high importance to engage minorities in these types of registries for representation in these areas of cancer research. Citation Format: Ileana Guzman, Brooke Hensel, Carolina Aristizabal, Eduardo Ibarra, Rosa Barahona, Brandon Hazelton-Glenn, Diana Wilkie, Janice Krieger, Mariana C. Stern, Sandra Suther, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Fern Webb. Contact registry for health-related cancer research: Promoting inclusion in research [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A057.

Dynamic Model-Embedded Intelligent Machine Fault Diagnosis Without Fault Data

Intelligent machine fault diagnosis technique has recently exploded interest in digital health, energy power, and industrial maintenance. Collecting machine fault data in engineering practice is usually costly, causing big challenges in the intelligent diagnosis of most fresh-from-the-factory machines that are missing fault data. Inspired by the main idea of the digital twin, this paper proposes a dynamic model-embedded intelligent machine fault diagnosis framework. Specifically, a machine dynamic modeling and parameter identification approach is introduced for building the machine digital model. The digital model is used to predict machine fault data from the measured healthy vibration signals. Furthermore, a parameterized convolutional neural network structure is designed for learning optimization features and recognizing the machine's healthy state. Experimental investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of the framework. The results show that the proposed framework enables intelligent machine fault diagnosis without fault data. The diagnosis effect outperforms supervised, unsupervised and small-sample learning approaches and can be generalized to another load and speed with acceptable accuracy.

BrainFM ‐ Tuning into the Modifiable Risk Factors of Dementia

AbstractBackgroundDespite increasing research focus on 12 modifiable risk factors (MRF) reducing dementia risk by 40% across the life course, translation from bench to the broader society is limited thereby rampaging fear and stigmatisation. Furthermore, an Irish study showed that dementia awareness in Ireland was lower in younger than older people. Therefore, identifying methods that support community education about MRF in an accessible and engaging manner are paramount. To this end, BrainFM, is an educational tool that combines multisensory didactic learning with embodied co‐creative experience to deliver content around the brain and brain health. The current project describes one particular session around MRF delivered to an intergenerational population during Brain Awareness Week at the Creative Brain Week Conference (CBW) at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), Trinity College Dublin in March 2022.MethodsFour days of events highlighting the neuroscience behind three MRFs (hearing loss, social isolation and physical health) were co‐facilitated by Magda Kaczmarska, dancer and senior Atlantic Fellow and Dr. Anusha Yasoda‐Mohan, neuroscientist and current Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at GBHI (Photo1). While Dr. Yasoda‐Mohan explained the didactic content, Ms. Kaczmarska facilitated creative dance and movement activities tailored to reinforce the content (Photo2). These sessions were delivered both online and in‐person to (i) multidisciplinary, international attendees of CBW; (ii) people living with dementia and care partners; (iii) first grade class at St. Paul’s primary school, Navan, Ireland and (iv) general public of the Dublin Docklands community (Photo3).ResultsThe program was attended by 60 participants. Participant testimonials indicated heightened awareness and interest in proactive brain health and a feeling of community with fellow participants. Prominent clinical professionals engaging in co‐creative experience with artists and peers commented on how their understanding of an embodied connection was growing and influencing how they perceived other events of the week. Therefore, fostering interdisciplinary understanding supports innovation and solidarity around brain health in the community.ConclusionBrainFM was key in not only increasing mindfulness about the MRF and social connection but was also an advocate for the alliance between the arts and sciences as a powerful tool for expanding brain health literacy.

“I am the only one I know of who participates in research”: Promoting Equitable Research Methods for Underserved Communities in Dementia Risk Reduction Research

AbstractBackgroundIt is widely understood that dementia researchers need to do more to foster diversity and equitable access to research participation for underserved groups (e.g. members of racialised communities, those living in low socioeconomic status, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community). Currently, the vast majority of large‐scale dementia risk reduction research participants represent white, upper middle‐class individuals from urban areas. This project identifies the motives, facilitators, and barriers to participation in dementia risk‐reduction research in healthy middle‐aged adults who are traditionally under‐represented in research.MethodsThis is a qualitative study which worked in conjunction with the PREVENT Programme, a large‐scale, multi‐centre programme which aims to establish early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Participants for this study were healthy middle‐aged adults currently participating in the PREVENT Programme, who also identified as belonging to an underserved population. The method for data collection was semi‐structured interviews using video conference technology (N = 19). Thematic analyses was used by the research team.ResultsFindings from this study highlight motivators for participating falling in three camps: altruistic, individual health curiosity and interest in research. Facilitators to inclusion in research include strong rapport with the research team, clear understanding of the study protocol, flexible scheduling of participation (e.g., evening and weekends), monetary support to facilitate on site attendance and to support time away from paid employment, and innovative use of remote digital methods of data collection. Barriers to participation encompass a lack of awareness of opportunities to participate, and research illiteracy and stigma associated with both dementia and research participation.ConclusionFindings highlight individuals from under‐served communities are less likely to take part in research for a variety of reasons. The onus is on the research community to ensure equitable access to research participation amongst diverse populations. The outcome of this study is the development of guidelines for large‐scale epidemiological studies to encourage diverse, equitable, inclusive and supportive recruitment and engagement of participants from underserved from populations. This will further support the inclusion and diversity of both our research ventures and the solutions developed from them.

TV 시청을 통한 간접 스포츠 참여가 노인들의 심리적 기능에 미치는 효과에 대한 문헌고찰 연구

As the elderly population increases, there is a growing interest in individual health. Analyzing the psychological and cognitive effects of indirect sports participation, such as watching sports through multimedia, on the elderly is necessary. In this study, we examined the diverse effects of utilizing TV media and the theoretical basis of sports viewing through multimedia by analyzing previous research. Additionally, we proposed solutions to address the lack of interest in sports viewing through multimedia by examining the types of sports and their future prospects. In conclusion, based on theoretical evidence supporting the positive aspects of physical, psychological, and social dimensions that may arise from watching sports through multimedia, this study demonstrated the need for diverse research on the effects of indirect sports game viewing through multimedia for the elderly. It also indicated the necessity of multifaceted efforts to provide psychological stability to individuals in old age experiencing emotional difficulties through indirect sports participation via multimedia.

Richard Truscoe: Biochemistry Pioneer, Science Interrupted by War

Richard Truscoe was appointed from University College London in 1957 to establish teaching and research in Biochemistry at Victoria University of Wellington. He had extensive experience in research in England, Europe, and the United States. His scientific career had been interrupted by the Second World War, in which he served as an intelligence officer in the top-secret British Special Operations Executive (SOE). His SOE service was regarded as remarkable. During the war he consistently supported an independent future for Poland and warned of the dangers presented by the territorial ambitions of the Soviet Union. In biochemistry he had been a pioneer researcher on the metabolism of purines, and on the metabolic functions and effects of hormones and blood electrolytes including potassium and sodium. On arrival in Wellington, he predicted a future where biochemistry facilitated production of food grown in laboratories and for advances in medicine based on molecular understanding of disease. He initiated undergraduate and Honours teaching in biochemistry at Victoria University of Wellington, established infrastructure for research and supervised a cohort of a dozen MSc students. His legacy includes graduates who were stimulated to follow research careers, and interests in human health and disease that continue today.

A Review on digital medicine and its implications in drug development process

A field known as "digital medicine" is focused with using technology as aid for assessment and involvement in the interest of better public health. Digital medical solutions are built on top-notch technology and software that supports the practice of medicine broadly, including treatment, rehabilitation, illness prevention, and health promotion for individuals and across groups. Digital medical products can be used independently or in conjunction with pharmaceuticals, biologics, devices, and other products to enhance patient care and health outcomes. With the use of smart, easily accessible tools, digital medicine equips patients and healthcare professionals to treat a variety of illnesses with high-quality, safe, and efficient measures and data-driven therapies. The discipline of digital medicine includes both considerable professional knowledge and responsibilities linked to the usage of these digital tools. The application of these technologies in digital medicine is supported by the development of evidence. Technology is causing changes in medicine. Wearable and sensors are becoming more compact and affordable, and algorithms are becoming strong enough to forecast medical outcomes. Nevertheless, despite quick advancements, the healthcare sector lags behind other sectors in effectively utilizing new technology. The cross-disciplinary approach necessary to develop such tools, needing knowledge from many experts across many professions, is a significant barrier to entry. The participation in digital medicine programs is optional, complies with all legal requirements and standards, and protects patient data in line with relevant state and federal privacy legislation, just like other data created and maintained in electronic medical records. Aside from helping doctors more correctly titrate dosages and assess how well a treatment works, experts say digital medicine programs hold promise as a solution to the problem of medication adherence.

Różnice we wdrażaniu zasad promocji zdrowia w szkołach w czasie pandemii COVID-19. Rozważania oparte na badaniach przeprowadzonych wśród dyrektorów polskich szkół

During the coronavirus pandemic, health promotion became crucial for preventing COVID-19 disease and mitigating its consequences. Implementing health promotion principles was particularly essential in educational settings, where the possibility of infection was high. Simultaneously, only limited empirical studies have addressed school principals’ perspectives on implementing health promotion issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study aims to examine the differences in implementing health promotion principles in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results come from an online cross-sectional survey conducted in eight provinces of Poland from June to December 2021. The study was part of a global school principal health literacy survey under the COVID-HL Network. Research results have shown that schools in the Health Promoting Schools network tend to implement the whole-school approach to health more often. In addition, the longer the school belongs to the network, the more health promotion activities are implemented. It can be assumed that school principals play a crucial role in implementing health promotion principles in schools. Therefore, their health awareness and interest in health matters are essential for effectively promoting health in schools.

Consumer segments less or more willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins

The use of microalgae proteins as an alternative protein source in the European food market is becoming increasingly important. Despite their potential, these foods are still relatively unknown to European consumers. Therefore, it is crucial for their successful market introduction to explore consumer awareness, perception and willingness to try them. The objectives of this study were to identify factors shaping willingness to try and consumer segments likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. Data were collected via a quantitative online survey (N = 3027) in five European countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Italy. First, binary logistic regression showed that a flexitarian diet, general health interest, food neophobia, and environmental concern significantly shaped willingness to try foods with microalgae proteins. Second, factor analysis identified two dimensions of consumers’ perceptions about foods with microalgae proteins: credence attributes related and experience attributes related. Third, these perception constructs were used alongside willingness to try in a two-stage segmentation analysis to identify consumer segments willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. The analysis yielded four segments, “Enthusiast”, “Cautiously curious”, “Undecided”, and “Uninterested”. Finally, the segments were profiled in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and perceptions by means of a multinomial logistic regression (n = 2957). Consumers with a higher general health interest, stronger environmental concern, and greater interest in information about foods with microalgae proteins were more likely to be part of segments with a higher willingness to try and more favorable perceptions. Consumers with higher levels of food (technology) neophobia, were more likely to be part of segments with a lower willingness to try and less favorable perceptions. This study has shown that segmentation proves useful to identify and profile consumers who would be less or more likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins and enables more effective tailoring of marketing and further research efforts.

Digital Medical Information Services Delivered by Pharmaceutical Companies via WeChat: Qualitative Analytical Study.

Social media has become one of the primary information sources for medical professionals and patients. Pharmaceutical companies are committed to using various social media platforms to provide stakeholders with digital medical information services (DMISs), which remain experimental and immature. In China, WeChat tops the list of popular social media platforms. To date, little is known about the service model of DMISs delivered by pharmaceutical companies via WeChat. This study aims to explore the emerging service model of DMISs delivered by pharmaceutical companies via WeChat in China. This study applied a qualitative research design combining case study and documentary analysis to explore the DMISs of 6 leading pharmaceutical companies in China. Materials were collected from their official WeChat platforms. Thematic analysis was conducted on the data. The DMISs of 6 pharmaceutical companies were investigated. Themes emerged regarding 2 essential information services delivered by pharmaceutical companies via WeChat: business operation services and DMISs (ie, public information services, professional services, science and education services, and e-commerce services). Business operation services mainly function to assist or facilitate the company's operations and development trends for general visitors. Public-oriented information services are realized through health science popularization, academic frontiers, product information, and road maps to hospitals and pharmacies. Internet hospital and pharmacy services are the main patient-oriented professional services. Medical staff-oriented science and education services commonly include continuing education, clinical assistance, academic research, and journal searching. Public-oriented e-commerce services include health products and health insurance. Pharmaceutical companies in China use WeChat to provide stakeholders with diversified DMISs, which remain in the exploratory stage. The service model of DMISs requires more distinct innovations to provide personalized digital health and patient-centric services. Moreover, specific regulations on the DMISs of pharmaceutical companies need to be established to guard public health interests.