National Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

Revisiting the IOM Reports and Envisioning a Promising Future for Public Health.

Two public health reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published in 1988 and 2003 by the Institute of Medicine continue to resonate. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a robust and adequately funded public health system that has political and public support as well as strong connections to health care and other sectors. However, a spate of recent assessments of the nation's public health infrastructure shows continuing gaps in funding, workforce, capacity, and other dimensions. There are reasons for optimism and opportunities for progress in public health in the third decade of the 21st century. There is great promise in cross-sector partnerships and in embracing the "public" in public health by building power with communities in health improvement efforts and in decision-making. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(5):495-500. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307584).

Including Pregnant and Lactating Women in Clinical Research

This Viewpoint summarizes a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that encourages the inclusion of pregnant and lactating individuals in clinical research.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommendations on Medicaid parity and future of pediatric subspecialty workforce.

Medicaid supports 41% of all births in the US and nearly 347,580 admissions to neonatal intensive care units in 2022. Medicaid reimbursement is critical to child health inclusive of departments of Pediatrics and children's hospitals. Low Medicaid reimbursement is one of the causes for low pediatric subspecialist salaries and has led to workforce challenges. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently suggested increased Medicaid reimbursement as a strategy to sustain pediatric subspecialist workforce. This review article briefly outlines the importance of Medicaid reimbursement to Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and its role in providing coverage for preterm births. We also highlight the recommendations of NASEM pertaining to reimbursement that are relevant to neonatal care and its impact on providers, patients, and families. It is imperative that neonatologists join the rest of pediatric subspecialists in lending their support to demonstrate unity in ensuring success in the implementation of the NASEM recommendations.

Navigating the ‘grey zone’: academic collaboration and research on/in Russia during geopolitical crisis

Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and attack on Ukraine in 2022 have led to widespread sanctions being placed on Russia by the European Union, including sanctions related to academic cooperation. National governments, supranational bodies, science academies and research institutions as well as publishers have likewise formed policies suspending and restricting collaboration regarding Russia-related research. These policies are, however, not straight forward and there are many practical and ethical questions that individual researchers must ask themselves. At Finnish Geography Days 2023 in Joensuu, a panel was dedicated to discussing some of these questions. This article summarizes main themes discussed during the panel and sheds light on the multiple ways researchers experience and navigate the ‘grey zone’ of academic collaboration and research on/in Russia in the current geopolitical context. The article emphasizes the necessity of further discussing the effectiveness and impact of the sanctions and restrictions: Are they reasonable? Who benefits from them, and who suffers?

Science-informed Policy Making for Protecting People and the Environment from Radiation.

The process to arrive at the radiation protection practices of today to protect workers, patients, and the public, including sensitive populations, has been a long and deliberative one. This paper presents an overview of the US Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) responsibility in protecting human health and the environment from unnecessary exposure to radiation. The origins of this responsibility can be traced back to early efforts, a century ago, to protect workers from x rays and radium. The system of radiation protection we employ today is robust and informed by the latest scientific consensus. It has helped reduce or eliminate unnecessary exposures to workers, patients, and the public while enabling the safe and beneficial uses of radiation and radioactive material in diverse areas such as energy, medicine, research, and space exploration. Periodic reviews and analyses of research on health effects of radiation by scientific bodies such as the National Academy of Sciences, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, and the International Commission on Radiological Protection continue to inform radiation protection practices while new scientific information is gathered. As a public health agency, US EPA is keenly interested in research findings that can better elucidate the effects of exposure to low doses and low dose rates of radiation as applicable to protection of diverse populations from various sources of exposure. Professional organizations such as the Health Physics Society can provide radiation protection practitioners with continuing education programs on the state of the science and describe the key underpinnings of the system of radiological protection. Such efforts will help equip and prepare radiation protection professionals to more effectively communicate radiation health information with their stakeholders.

An Executive Summary of the National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP).

The National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP) project successfully engaged multidisciplinary experts to define opportunities to advance trauma research and has fulfilled the recommendations related to trauma research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) report. These panels identified more than 4,800 gaps in our knowledge regarding injury prevention and the optimal care of injured patients and laid out a priority framework and tools to support researchers to advance this field. Trauma research funding agencies and researchers can use this executive summary and supporting manuscripts to strategically address and close the highest priority research gaps. Given that this is the most significant public health threat facing our children, young adults, and military service personnel, we must do better in prioritizing these research projects for funding and providing grant support to advance this work. Through the Coalition for National Trauma Research (CNTR), the trauma community is committed to a coordinated, collaborative approach to address these critical knowledge gaps and ultimately reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality faced by our patients.

Ukrainian Language and Physics: a Brief Historical Retrospective (to the 150th Anniversary of the Shevchenko Scientific Society)

The history of Ukrainian language as a tool for publishing results of physical research and popularizing physics has been considered. Most important articles on physics that appeared in Ukrainian in 1877–1940 have been analyzed. Special impact was made on the publications of the non-governmental Shevchenko Scientific Society, which acted in Lviv in 1892–1939 as the first Ukrainian national academy of sciences. It is demonstrated that the main goal of the authors of those articles was not to disseminate the obtained results within the international community of physicists but to raise the status of the Ukrainian language, which was officially prohibited in the Russian empire by the acts dated 1863 and 1876, up to the status of the well developed European language by enabling its functioning in the hitherto closed spheres. The prospects of applying the Ukrainian language for publishing the results of physical research and popularizing physics nowadays have been discussed.

Molecular Characterization of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp Collection based on ISSR Markers

Background: In Azerbaijan, cow pea is one of the fundamental legumes. This study was carried out at the Institute of Genetic Resources, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences to evaluate genetic diversity in 28 cowpea accessions from Azerbaijan national gene bank. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotypic diversity, relatedness and population structure among local cow pea resources available in Azerbaijan and the cultivated VIR accessions based on ISSR markers. Methods: The studies were conducted in 2017-2019 at the Institute of Genetic Resources (IGR) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Azerbaijan. 28 samples were used as research material: 10 of them were local forms and 18 were samples obtained from VIR. Sowing of collection samples was carried out in duplicate with an area of food of one plant 10 ´ 45 cm at the optimum time, in the at the end of April. Result: In the study, 28 alleles were synthesized for the collection with five ISSR markers, with an average polymorphism index of 75%. The rich genetic diversity (GMO = 0.80; PIC = 0.34) was found in the collection. Statistical analyzes have shown that the efficiency of the UBC 835 and the UBC 818 premieres was high. The average genetic distance index in the cow pea collection was 0.33. 71% of the samples were genetically identifiable and 29% revealed that the genotype was identical across the studied loci. PCoA and cluster analysis identified 3 genetically distinct groups within the collection, with the first two coordinates explaining 57% of this genetic variation.

The Application of Knowledge Engineering via the Use of a Biomimetic Digital Twin Ecosystem, Phenotype-Driven Variant Analysis, and Exome Sequencing to Understand the Molecular Mechanisms of Disease

Applied Artificial Intelligence, particularly Large Language Models, in biomedical research is accelerating, but effective discovery and validation requires a toolset without limitations or bias. On January 30, 2023, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) appointed an ad hoc committee to identify needs and opportunities to advance the mathematical, statistical, and computational foundations of digital twins in applications across science, medicine, engineering, and society. On December 15, 2023, the NAS released a 164 page report, "Foundational Research Gaps and Future Directions for Digital Twins". This report described the importance of using digital twins in biomedical research. We developed an innovative method that incorporated phenotype ranking algorithms with knowledge engineering via a biomimetic digital twin ecosystem. This ecosystem applied real-world reasoning principles to non-normalized, raw data to identify hidden or "dark data". We performed a clinical exome sequencing study on patients with endometriosis and were able to identify four VUSs potentially associated with endometriosis-related disorders in nearly all patients analyzed. One VUS was identified in all patient samples and could be a biomarker for diagnostics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to incorporate the recomandations of the NAS to biomedical research. This method can be used to understand the mechanisms of any disease, for virtual clinical trials, and to identify effective new therapies.

The Chalkboard: An Introduction to Electrochemical Separations

Chemical separations are a cornerstone of industrial manufacturing processes that generate products and services that have improved the standard of living for humans across the globe. To give some context as to how ubiquitous separations are in the modern world, they are involved in the production of fuels, medicines, clean water, fertilizers, materials used in semiconductor chip manufacturing, and other goods. A 2019 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine highlights that chemical separations account for about 10 to 15% of energy use in the United States. Of the four broad sectors (residential, transportation, industry, and commerce) that use energy in the United States, industry has the largest use at 32% and about half of the energy use in industry hails from separations. It is likely that the transportation and residential sectors will experience significant decarbonization in the next 25 years with the proliferation of wind and solar energy sources coupled with electrochemical energy storage and electrification of vehicles. Industrial decarbonization, on the other hand, is far more complex and challenging and it is imperative that future engineers and scientists work hard to devise alternative processes that can be powered on renewable electrons while generating little waste to produce the goods and services that make up our modern lives.

SDOH and Immigration Status: Offering Advocacy and Adhering to Ethical Practice Across the Care Continuum.

Social determinants of health (SDOH), the environmental, economic, and social factors that influence people's health outcomes, are widely recognized across health and human services. In addition, there are other factors that can exacerbate SDOH; among them is immigration status. Its influence is so profound that it has been suggested that immigration be considered an SDOH in and of itself (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018). Across the continuum, case managers need to be aware of the immigration status of their clients (the individuals for whom they advocate and provide services). This is particularly important when addressing the care needs and discharge plans for clients in acute care, community-based health, and workers' compensation. With workers' compensation, when an individual is undocumented and severely injured, immigration status directly impacts the services they may receive under state mandates. Moreover, such limitations can present ethical dilemmas for case managers, including what happens to workers if they are returned to their home countries. SDOH and immigration status can impact individuals in acute care, subacute care, community-based care, and workers' compensation. SDOH and immigration status highlight the disparities that exist within health and human services. Although equity is a core value of case management practice, the case manager's ability to provide equal access to care and resources can be severely limited because of the individual's immigration status. At all times, case managers must practice within their licensure and certifications. By recognizing that immigration status should be an SDOH, case management professionals and health and human services organizations can elevate the discussion of how to care for individuals with catastrophic injuries and illnesses who are undocumented.

Reducing Intergenerational Poverty—An Essential Driver of Health

This Viewpoint discusses a report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on how to address intergenerational poverty.

Taking stock: Is gene drive research delivering on its principles?

Gene drive technology has been recognized for its potential to provide durable and cost-effective solutions for previously intractable problems in public health, conservation, and agriculture. In recognition of the rapid advances in this field, in 2016 the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report making several recommendations aimed at researchers, funders, and policymakers for the safe and responsible research and development of gene drive technology. Subsequently, in 2017 sixteen global organizations self-identifying as sponsors and supporters of gene drive research became public signatories committed to the ‘Principles for Gene Drive Research’ which were inspired by the report’s recommendations. Herein we reflect on the progress of gene drive research in relation to the ethical principles laid out and committed to by the signatories to the Principles. Our analysis indicates high levels of alignment with the Principles in the field of gene drive research. The manuscript also discusses the Gene Drive Research Forum, which had its genesis in the publication of the Principles. Discussions between participants at the latest meeting of the Forum point to the work that lies ahead for gene drive research in line with the Principles. Going forward the gene drive research community can productively focus on: i) safety and efficacy criteria for open release, ii) risk assessment frameworks and methods, iii) more downstream technical, regulatory and policy considerations for field evaluations and implementation, iv) continued transparency and developing mechanisms of accountability, and v) strengthening capacity in locales of potential release and expected drive spread.

‘Science by consensus’ impedes scientific creativity and progress: A simple alternative to funding biomedical research

The very low success rates of grant applications to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are highly detrimental to the progress of science and the careers of scientists. The peer review process that evaluates proposals has been claimed arbitrarily to be the best there is. This consensus system, however, has never been evaluated scientifically against an alternative. Here we delineate the 15 major problems with the peer review process. We challenge the Science Advisor to the President, and the leadership of NIH, NSF, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and other funding agencies throughout the world to refute each of these criticisms. We call for the implementation of more equitable alternatives that will not constrain the progress of science. We propose a system that will fund at least 80,000 principal investigators, including young scientists, with about half the current NIH budget, seven-times as many as the current number of NIH “research project grants,” and that will forego the cumbersome, expensive, and counterproductive “peer” review stage. Further, we propose that the success of the two systems over 5–10 years be compared scientifically.

Counting Farm Injuries and Fatalities: An Assessment of Irish Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance Data Systems

ABSTRACT Objective Generation of reliable data underpins the effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) surveillance systems. Despite the importance of understanding OHS data systems, there are few papers that provide overviews of their structure and/or content. This paper introduces a basic framework for assessing OHS data systems that will be of use to researchers internationally. We applied this approach to assess the Irish OHS data system by undertaking a data mapping exercise. Method We developed a checklist based on recommendations of monitoring and measurement of OHS proposed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (USA). An assessment of published reports that present systematic OHS surveillance data was undertaken to identify the institutions or organisations responsible for collecting and curating the data, their remit, and, associated with this, their respective case definitions. We then provide an overview of the variables collected and these are then mapped against the checklist. Results The assessment highlights that whilst the farm fatalities dataset provides complete coverage of all fatalities, regardless of age or employment status, the same is not true of the three non-fatal injuries datasets reviewed. There are important differences in the data collection methods and, associated with this, which populations are covered. Practical Application The assessment approach provides valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of a critical element of OHS surveillance systems, namely the production of datasets. This knowledge is important for researchers as understanding the data that informs their research is fundamental to good science. It is critical for policy-makers and other stakeholders to understand the strengths and weaknesses on which OHS policy, strategies, or education and training interventions are developed.

Highlighting the NIAID Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program's Commitment to Training and Diversifying the Radiation Workforce.

Developing and maintaining a robust and diverse scientific workforce is crucial to advance knowledge, drive innovation, and tackle societal issues that impact the economy and human health. The shortage of trained professionals in radiation and nuclear sciences derives from many factors, such as scarcity of specialized coursework, programming, professional development, and experiential learning at educational institutions, which significantly disrupt the training pipeline. Other challenges include small numbers of faculty and educators with specialized radiation/nuclear expertise that are continually overextended professionally and scientifically, with the burden of training falling on this subset of individuals. Even more alarming is the recent loss of radiobiologists due to increased retirements and deaths, leaving the radiobiology community with a void of mentors and knowledge. Lastly, inconsistency in acquiring stable grant funding to recruit and retain scientists is a major hurdle to training the next generation of radiation and nuclear scientists. Recommendations from the scientific community and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine describe the need to bolster educational resources and provide more hands-on training experiences. Of equal importance was the suggestion that funding agencies provide more opportunities for training and tracking the radiation workforce. The Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP), and the Office of Research Training and Special Programs (ORTSP), both within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are committed to helping to develop and sustain the radiation research workforce. This commentary illustrates the importance of addressing radiation workforce development and outlines steps that the RNCP is taking to help mitigate the issue. In addition, the role for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in helping to increase the number of students trained in the radiation sciences is discussed, and the NIH's DEIA priorities and RNCP efforts to improve DEIA in the research community are highlighted. One of the main goals of this commentary is to provide awareness of available educational (i.e., development of a radiation biologist eBook) and funding resources. A summary of available awards targeting early- to mid-stage investigators and diversity candidates is given, and it is hoped that this list, although not exhaustive and not specific for all focus areas in radiation (e.g., cancer research), will encourage more radiation biologists to explore and apply to these under-utilized opportunities.

NIDA and NIAAA quietly drop “preaddiction” RFI

A “Request for Information” (RFI) document issued last year (see NIDA and NIAAA call for information on use of ‘preaddiction’, ADAW April 15, 2023;https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.33745) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) on the use of the term “preaddiction” has been dropped. There was no official announcement of this, unless you were at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence annual meeting in June 2023, when the decision was presented by NIDA and NIAAA. “Responses to the RFI revealed broad consensus around the need to improve early intervention before substance use progresses to addiction,” NIDA and NIAAA press offices told ADAW last week. “However, the majority of respondents shared concerns that establishing a new diagnostic term would not be constructive. Based on this feedback, NIDA and NIAAA are not encouraging implementation of new diagnostic terms at this time. Instead, other research strategies to help identify people at high risk, improve addiction prevention and early intervention, and address the many barriers that impede the delivery of effective prevention interventions and engagement in care will be pursued. As one example, NIDA, NIAAA, and others are supporting a consensus study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine (NASEM) to provide a roadmap of steps needed to develop and finance a sustainable infrastructure at the national and/or state level for implementing evidence‐based interventions for preventing psychiatric disorders like addiction.” Work on that NASEM consensus study just began last week (see https://www.nationalacademies.org/our‐work/blueprint‐for‐a‐national‐prevention‐infrastructure‐for‐behavioral‐health‐disorders).

Fifth National Climate Assessment Reveals Urgent Action Needed to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) was released in November 2023 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The Assessment evaluates the impacts of a changing climate across 10 US regions and a wide range of biodiversity and other interests, including water, forests and ecosystems, coasts and oceans, agriculture and rural communities, the built environment, energy and transportation, health and air quality, and economic and social systems. The Assessment is the fifth such report released by the US government since 2000, using science‐based data by more than a dozen US agencies and approximately 750 scientists tracking the impacts of climate change, and peer‐reviewed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM).1 The details outlined within the Assessment are not optimistic. In fact, the extensively peer‐reviewed report further quantifies the need to take immediate actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere. Immediate actions will require both increased mitigation measures to reduce GHG emissions and adaptation measures as we attempt to live with the impacts of a changing climate.

Fauna of sone groups of invertebrates of Erebuni State Reserve (Armenia

   Aim. The aim of the work is to research the fauna of invertebrates in the Erebuni State Reserve.   Material and Methods. As research material served invertebrates gathered in the Erebuni State Reserve. The work was carried out at the Scientific Centre for Zoology and Hydroecology, National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia in the period 2019–2023. The material was from our own collections, as well as from collections of insects and mollusks of the Institute of Zoology. The identification and collection of insects and mollusks were done using standard methods.   Results. An overview of some groups of invertebrates in the Erebuni State Reserve is here provided for the first time. As a result of the research, 35 species of Diptera, 15 species of Coleoptera, 44 species of Lepidoptera,10 species of aphids and 12 species of mollusks were identified. Some species are listed in the “Red Book” of Armenia and are under the protection of the state, and there are rare species and species found in the Republic of Armenia only in the reserve. 15 species of insects identified by us develop on 4 plant species included in the “Red Book” of Armenia.   Conclusion. The Erebuni State Reserve is represented by a rather diverse and valuable fauna of invertebrates studied by us, including a number of rare and protected species. Species of invertebrates associated in their development with valuable wild, economically important and protected plants have been identified in the reserve. Identification of species diversity and trophic relationships of some groups of insects that develop on rare and protected plants of the reserve is relevant for natural areas under state protection, of which the Erebuni State Reserve is one.

Interventions addressing health-related social needs among patients with cancer.

Health-related social needs are prevalent among cancer patients; associated with substantial negative health consequences; and drive pervasive inequities in cancer incidence, severity, treatment choices and decisions, and outcomes. To address the lack of clinical trial evidence to guide health-related social needs interventions among cancer patients, the National Cancer Institute Cancer Care Delivery Research Steering Committee convened experts to participate in a clinical trials planning meeting with the goal of designing studies to screen for and address health-related social needs among cancer patients. In this commentary, we discuss the rationale for, and challenges of, designing and testing health-related social needs interventions in alignment with the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 5As framework. Evidence for food, housing, utilities, interpersonal safety, and transportation health-related social needs interventions is analyzed. Evidence regarding health-related social needs and delivery of health-related social needs interventions differs in maturity and applicability to cancer context, with transportation problems having the most maturity and interpersonal safety the least. We offer practical recommendations for health-related social needs interventions among cancer patients and the caregivers, families, and friends who support their health-related social needs. Cross-cutting (ie, health-related social needs agnostic) recommendations include leveraging navigation (eg, people, technology) to identify, refer, and deliver health-related social needs interventions; addressing health-related social needs through multilevel interventions; and recognizing that health-related social needs are states, not traits, that fluctuate over time. Health-related social needs-specific interventions are recommended, and pros and cons of addressing more than one health-related social needs concurrently are characterized. Considerations for collaborating with community partners are highlighted. The need for careful planning, strong partners, and funding is stressed. Finally, we outline a future research agenda to address evidence gaps.