Research Partnerships Research Articles

Exploring Biosensors' Scientific Production and Research Patterns: A Bibliometric Analysis.

More sustainable biosensor production is growing in importance, allowing for the development of technological solutions for several industries, such as those in the health, chemical, and food sectors. Tracking the latest advancements in biosensors' scientific production is fundamental to determining the opportunities for the future of the biosensing field. This article aims to map scientific production in the biosensors field by running a bibliometric analysis of journal articles registered in the Web of Science database under biosensor-related vital concepts. The key concepts were selected by researchers and biosensor technology developers working on the BioAssembler Horizon project. The findings lead to identifying the scientific and technological knowledge base on biosensing devices and tracking the main scientific organisations developing this technology throughout the COVID-19 period (2019-2023). The institutional origin of the publications characterised the global distribution of related knowledge competencies and research partnerships. These results are discussed, shedding light on the scientific, economic, political, and structural factors that contribute to the formation of a scientific knowledge-based focus on the performance and design of these sensors. Moreover, the lack of scientific ties between the three axes of organisations producing expertise in this area (China, USA, and Russia) points towards the need to find synergies through new mechanisms of co-authorship and collaboration.

A guide to successful management of collaborative partnerships in quantitative research: An illustration of the science of team science.

Data-intensive research continues to expand with the goal of improving healthcare delivery, clinical decision-making, and patient outcomes. Quantitative scientists, such as biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and informaticists, are tasked with turning data into health knowledge. In academic health centres, quantitative scientists are critical to the missions of biomedical discovery and improvement of health. Many academic health centres have developed centralized Quantitative Science Units which foster dual goals of professional development of quantitative scientists and producing high quality, reproducible domain research. Such units then develop teams of quantitative scientists who can collaborate with researchers. However, existing literature does not provide guidance on how such teams are formed or how to manage and sustain them. Leaders of Quantitative Science Units across six institutions formed a working group to examine common practices and tools that can serve as best practices for Quantitative Science Units that wish to achieve these dual goals through building long-term partnerships with researchers. The results of this working group are presented to provide tools and guidance for Quantitative Science Units challenged with developing, managing, and evaluating Quantitative Science Teams. This guidance aims to help Quantitative Science Units effectively participate in and enhance the research that is conducted throughout the academic health centre-shaping their resources to fit evolving research needs.

Digital and socio-demographic aspects of the dissemination of library and information science education

The processes of digitisation in society have an impact on the technological, socio-economic, and demographic aspects of developing and implementing educational programs in the library and information sector. This results in an increased role for libraries, archives, and management structures as educational centers. The article aims to study the patterns of influence that the digitisation of society has on the technological, socio-economic, and demographic aspects of developing and implementing educational programs in library and information science at foreign educational institutions. Research methods are analysis, synthesis, logical generalisations, synchronous section, and content analysis. The findings reveal that the inclusion of educational components on digitalisation and information literacy in bachelor’s and master’s programs, as well as in postgraduate education programs for continuous professional development of specialists, contributes to improving education quality and adherence to educational standards in library and information science. The competitiveness of educational programs is determined by their alignment with labour market needs. The social desirability and status of the library and information science field are contingent upon shifting away from conventional notions regarding its societal function. The institutional functions of academic libraries are evolving as they engage in scientific research as research partners and provide scientific communication services. Innovative pedagogy in library and information science entails adherence to the values of social equity, diversity and inclusivity, and accessible education and research. Libraries are acquiring a dominant status as information and analytical centers. Digital technologies profoundly change the nature of the professional activities of library and archive workers. These trends drive the transformation of higher education towards international educational standards and modernisation of professional education content. The practical significance of the study is that its results can be used to improve and revise educational programs in library and information activities

Researching COVID to enhance recovery (RECOVER) pediatric study protocol: Rationale, objectives and design.

The prevalence, pathophysiology, and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 (post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 [PASC] or "Long COVID") in children and young adults remain unknown. Studies must address the urgent need to define PASC, its mechanisms, and potential treatment targets in children and young adults. We describe the protocol for the Pediatric Observational Cohort Study of the NIH's REsearching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative. RECOVER-Pediatrics is an observational meta-cohort study of caregiver-child pairs (birth through 17 years) and young adults (18 through 25 years), recruited from more than 100 sites across the US. This report focuses on two of four cohorts that comprise RECOVER-Pediatrics: 1) a de novo RECOVER prospective cohort of children and young adults with and without previous or current infection; and 2) an extant cohort derived from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (n = 10,000). The de novo cohort incorporates three tiers of data collection: 1) remote baseline assessments (Tier 1, n = 6000); 2) longitudinal follow-up for up to 4 years (Tier 2, n = 6000); and 3) a subset of participants, primarily the most severely affected by PASC, who will undergo deep phenotyping to explore PASC pathophysiology (Tier 3, n = 600). Youth enrolled in the ABCD study participate in Tier 1. The pediatric protocol was developed as a collaborative partnership of investigators, patients, researchers, clinicians, community partners, and federal partners, intentionally promoting inclusivity and diversity. The protocol is adaptive to facilitate responses to emerging science. RECOVER-Pediatrics seeks to characterize the clinical course, underlying mechanisms, and long-term effects of PASC from birth through 25 years old. RECOVER-Pediatrics is designed to elucidate the epidemiology, four-year clinical course, and sociodemographic correlates of pediatric PASC. The data and biosamples will allow examination of mechanistic hypotheses and biomarkers, thus providing insights into potential therapeutic interventions. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT05172011.

“I Want to Say the Right Thing”: Developing Translingual Literacy Practices Through Early Care Educator and University Researcher Partnerships

“I Want to Say the Right Thing”: Developing Translingual Literacy Practices Through Early Care Educator and University Researcher Partnerships

Research ethics in social science research during health pandemics: what can we learn from COVID-19 experiences?

The COVID-19 pandemic posed many ethical and practical challenges for academic research. Some of these have been documented, particularly in relation to health research, but less attention has been paid to the dilemmas encountered by educational and social science research. Given that pandemics are predicted to be more frequent, it is vital to understand how to continue crucial research in schools and other learning communities. This article therefore focuses specifically on research ethics in educational and social science during the pandemic of 2020–2022. The research involved interviews and workshops with University College London (UCL) academics, professional staff and graduate students and encompassed those involved in reviewing ethics applications, researchers dealing with ethics in projects that continued despite disruptions caused by COVID-19, and successful research projects specifically designed to study the effects of COVID-19 in various contexts. The article discusses some of the crucial knowledge and practical experiences that were accumulated. The operational and epistemological lessons learned from this particular institution may have wider relevance to research ethics processes in higher education environments where academics and students are grappling with post-COVID-19 ethical dilemmas and inform broader debates about how research institutions can build institutional knowledge to improve practices of ethics review at the times of health emergencies in future. Our evidence points to the significance of inter- and multidisciplinary, collaborative approaches that flatten institutional hierarchies and to the crucial role played by professional staff. In addition, we argue that ethics review processes must be underpinned by critical debates about wider issues of unequal power relationships between research partners, the nature of knowledge production, ownership and utilisation. To enhance equity and epistemic justice in research practices, ethics education should be an ongoing integral part of research ethics within research institutions.

Making the Case for Case Studies in Counselor Education: Applications to Child and Adolescent Research

ABSTRACT How do researchers understand the complex and nuanced lives of children and adolescents? Though researchers have many methods from which to choose, we present the case for utilizing an established research method that allows researchers to uniquely explore the intricate realities of children and adolescent populations: case study research. In this conceptual manuscript, we explore what case study research is, what it is not, and how counseling researchers can apply case study research methods within the profession to explore research in schools, partnership research, and program evaluation. Finally, we conclude with case study research steps and a case example so that counseling researchers are equipped to begin applying case study research to their own research agendas.

Listening deeply to refugee background women to understand experiences of domestic and family violence in their communities to foster engagement with global support systems

ABSTRACT As trauma survivors, women and girls from refugee backgrounds face significant challenges when settling in host countries; the risk of domestic and family violence (DFV) accentuates these difficulties. Reflecting on findings from a seven-year university and industry research partnership, this article explores the etiology of DFV in women from refugee backgrounds living in non-metropolitan Australia. Drawing on action research principles and intersectional and social ecological theoretical frameworks, this study captured diverse women’s views about experiences and strategies for addressing DFV in refugee communities. Having developed trusting relationships with participants over the different study phases, the first author conducted in-depth interviews with women of refugee backgrounds, listening deeply and confirming findings with participants as they emerged. Interviews were also conducted with staff from settlement, health and specialist domestic violence services to offer a broad perspective on how best to support refugee women experiencing DFV. Key findings revealed stressors and support that impact violence, such as employment status and acculturation, and identification of who the women would trust if experiencing violence. By understanding the interweaving factors influencing women’s risk of DFV and strategies to address it, global healthcare providers will be better positioned to collaborate with refugee communities and specialist services.

Abstract PO5-05-10: Analysis of Trends in Funding of Metastatic Breast Cancer Research

Abstract Introduction To inform funding strategies for research in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), knowledge of the current research landscape and identification of potential gap areas requiring additional research are essential. In 2014, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance (MBCA) published an analysis that showed that between 2000 and 2013, only 7% of all funds for breast cancer research were devoted to metastasis. As more people are living with MBC, addressing research priorities for those living with the disease is important, as is understanding gaps in the current funding landscape of MBC research to appropriately target investment. Methods A collaborative effort between funders and patients was undertaken to analyze breast cancer projects funded between 2014 and 2020 from the International Cancer Research Partnership database, the Health Resource Alliance database, and MBCA members, representing grants from 83 non-profit organizations worldwide. Project titles, abstracts, and classifications of these grants were extracted from these databases. Next, to identify research projects in the databases that are related to metastasis, a classification tool that uses a machine learning algorithm was built, trained on manually coded grants from the 2000-2013 analysis, and validated by expert coders. Projects were then coded according to a pre-established metastasis classification policy to categories such as type of research (e.g., treatment), genes or proteins studied, site of metastasis, breast cancer subtype, and patient priority questions. In terms of the latter, MBCA members living with MBC were surveyed about research priorities. Member advocates ranked survey questions according to highest patient priority, and these were converted to language that could be queried with the tool. Results Investment in MBC research nearly doubled from 2014 to 2020. Research into understanding and overcoming treatment resistance, which was the highest patient priority question, increased from 15% in 2014 to 26% of the MBC portfolio in 2020; this was a statistically significant increase above the rate of inflation. In terms of treatment resistance according to subtype, the highest number of projects focused on triple-negative MBC (>300). By contrast, < 20 projects were focused on overcoming treatment resistance in metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer. Of the six categories evaluated (e.g. biology and detection/diagnosis/prognosis), the largest increase in investment was for treatments. Discussion The coding tool allows for ongoing complex queries such as identification of funded research relevant to areas identified as important by MBC advocates (Table) and provides a funders’ ‘dashboard’ to identify gap areas in need of further research funding. This collaborative effort between funders and patient advocates, and the resulting current and future analyses, can be used to focus advocacy efforts to drive research funding of priorities and understudied areas of MBC. Despite the increase in funding, the investment in metastatic research–the primary cause of death from breast cancer–remains insufficient. Table. Research Priorities of MBC Patient Advocates Citation Format: Margaret Flowers, Teri Pollastro, Kari Wojtanik, Katherine McKenzie, Kimberly Badovinac, Medha Deoras-Sutliff, Lynne Davies. Analysis of Trends in Funding of Metastatic Breast Cancer Research [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-05-10.

Abstract PO1-17-06: Driving diversity in research participation with ShareForCures™, a patient-centered, nationwide breast cancer research registry to improve outcomes

Abstract Background The lack of diversity in research and small and siloed datasets have led to a lack of real-world evidence, limiting our ability to practice precision medicine and optimize treatments and care for all breast cancer patients. Susan G. Komen,® a breast cancer advocacy organization and the largest non-profit breast cancer funder outside the U.S. government, launched ShareForCures™ (SFC), a secure, patient-centered research registry. The registry aims to engage breast cancer survivors from diverse backgrounds as research partners to facilitate sharing of their data to drive innovative breast cancer research and improve outcomes. SFC is IRB-approved and open to any adult living in the U.S. and diagnosed with breast cancer. SFC is designed to be easy to join and accessible online. Participants provide survey information about their diagnosis, quality of life, lifestyle, family history, etc. Some of them will be asked to provide a saliva sample, and their medical records will be retrieved. Methods Patient advocates have driven every aspect of the development of SFC, from serving on its governance council to participating in focus groups and beta-testing the platform build. Most important to the success of the registry was to ensure we worked with community partners to conduct breast cancer survivor focus groups and to solicit views and expectations about patient-centered research engagement. Those focus groups were conducted in 2020 and 2021 in-person (N=4) and virtually (N=8) across the U.S., with three conducted in Spanish. The findings that emerged from the focus groups informed the establishment of SFC, from governance and technology implementation to platform features and processes. For feedback on pre-enrollment information, we invited 432 diverse breast cancer survivors to participate in an audience testing of two versions of a SFC landing page, a flyer, and a social media post. One version was designed to be more technical and the other more inspiring/motivational. Finally, we pilot tested SFC with 56 breast cancer survivors. Those who joined provided feedback through individual debriefing sessions about the onboarding process, consent, the questionnaire (“About You”) and the SFC platform. Results Four main themes emerged from the focus groups (N=64 participants): tailor communications to specific groups of participants, create an environment of trust and transparency, address concerns about data privacy and security, and share news and results. Audience testing on SFC materials revealed the majority liked positive personal messaging, although technical messaging highlighting the science, research, and data was also favorably reviewed. Participants ranked privacy and data security as priority concerns. Of the 56 breast cancer survivors invited to participate in the pilot testing of SFC, 31 fully onboarded, three started but did not complete onboarding, and six declined. To fully onboard, participants had to accept the informed consent and medical records release forms and complete the “About You” questionnaire. They indicated the process and online platform were easy, and the dashboard was an important feature for participants to stay engaged. They also confirmed focus group emphasis on clarity regarding SFC research goals and importance of sharing results. Conclusions All individuals who provided feedback expressed interest in sharing their experiences, inspiring others’ experiences, and accelerating research. They understood that this research may not benefit them directly but that it could benefit others. The results indicate that people are willing to participate in research if asked. Komen’s patient-centered approach of involving patients at all steps of developing SFC fosters trust, transparency and engagement that will enhance SFC’s impact. Citation Format: Jerome Jourquin, Stephanie McCoy, Barbara Segarra, Emily Marks, Carlita Proctor McIlwain, Brady Kazar, Melissa Troester, Kimberly Sabelko, Melissa Bondy. Driving diversity in research participation with ShareForCures™, a patient-centered, nationwide breast cancer research registry to improve outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-17-06.

Nandrolone treatment of adolescent female rats alters reproductive tissue and gonadal steroid profile

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are drugs that mimic the chemical structure of testosterone. The most commonly AAS used by young adults is nandrolone. In the USA, more than 20 % of AAS users started using steroids before the age of 20. This is alarming as most female users are unaware of the detrimental reproductive effects of AAS use such as amenorrhea, anovulation and clitoromegaly. An additional detrimental effect of AAS is their addictive liability. Previous studies indicate that animals self-administer AAS. Furthermore, AAS can cross-sensitize with other drugs of abuse such as cocaine. Our goal was to elucidate the effects of both AAS and cocaine in the reproductive system of female rats. Our hypothesis is that AAS will have a detrimental effect on the reproductive system of female rats. Adolescent female rats were divided into two large groups, one that received nandrolone decanoate (20mg/kg/sc) and another that received sesame oil (vehicle) for 10 successive days starting on day 28. Animals were further subdivided into groups that received saline or cocaine injections (0.01cc/10g) for a total of 4 groups: Oil-Saline, ND-Saline, Oil-Cocaine and ND-Cocaine. One cohort (Day 40) received cocaine or saline injections (0.01cc/10g) from days 40 to 44 and on days 52 and day 62. The other cohort (Day 65) received cocaine or saline injections from days 65 to 69 and on days 77 and 87. Our data show that administration of nandrolone during adolescence increased body weight of female rats. Ovarian weight was decreased, and ovarian tissue presented multiple cysts with fewer follicles. Nandrolone also disrupted uterine morphology. The uterine lumen was increased, the endometrial thickness reduced and thickness of myometrial tissue, as well as uterine weight, was increased. In addition, nandrolone reduced both endometrial estrogen and androgen receptors, an effect lost by day 88. In contrast, uterine tissue at day 63 showed an increase in progesterone receptor (PR) immunoreactivity, whereas PR immunoreactivity decreased in tissue obtained at Day 88 regardless of whether animals had received cocaine. Cocaine also increased PR receptors in uterine tissue at day 63 and 88. Animals treated with nandrolone had higher serum concentrations of testosterone and estradiol and a lower level of progesterone. These data show that nandrolone when administered in supraphysiologic doses during adolescence, has long lasting effects on the reproductive system of the female rat due to the depot effects and long half-life of this drug. These data warrant further research in this area to determine the long-term consequences of early nandrolone exposure on the female reproductive system, as well as fertility. Financial assistance was provided by the Offce of International Science and Engineering (OISE) of NSF through the Partnerships for Research and Education (PIRE) Program (OISE-#1545803). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Patient, caregiver and other knowledge user engagement in consensus-building healthcare initiatives: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionPatient engagement and integrated knowledge translation (iKT) processes improve health outcomes and care experiences through meaningful partnerships in consensus-building initiatives and research. Consensus-building is essential for engaging a diverse group...

Simulation and industry partnership in vascular surgery education

ObjectiveSimulation training improves resident open and endovascular technique and increases efficiency in the operating room, meeting costs and allocating time to curriculum development are obstacles for the leadership of surgical residencies. In this paper, we provide a narrative review of the types of simulation and the role industry has in simulation. We also explain how our institution utilized medical device sponsorship in a cost-efficient, non-biased way. MethodsVascular surgery trainees and surgeons were invited to two local, in-person simulation events, focusing on the management of aortic aneurysms and peripheral vascular disease. Pre- and post-surveys were sent to participants, and the results were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Survey score means were compared via paired t-test with significance set at P < .05. ResultsBenchtop anastomotic models, animal/cadaveric models, and virtual reality have been adopted in many surgical programs and can each provide practice to different levels of skill. Although industry is supportive of simulation curriculums, little is published regarding the role it plays and ways to reduce conflict of interest. At our local simulation events, trainees showed significant improvement in confidence ratings. ConclusionsIndustry sponsorship has been able to support many educational endeavors. In our experience, we attempted to reduce conflict of interest by focusing on device company participation and nonpartisan, physician-lead didactics. There is a great need for future research in surgical education and industry partnership.

OxLDL/LOX-1 Mediated Sex, Age, and Cell Dependent Alterations in Mouse Thoracic Aortic Vascular Reactivity, Stiffness, and Remodeling

Elevated oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is a risk factor and component that worsens cardiovascular disease states. OxLDL can elicit its detrimental action, via lectin-like oxLDL receptor 1 (LOX-1) and has been shown to disrupt vascular function. In this study, we determined whether oxLDL, via LOX-1, alters aortic vascular reactivity and determined if sex differences exist. Thoracic aortic endothelium-intact or -denuded ring segments were isolated from intact C57BL/6J female and male mice and incubated with oxLDL ex vivo (50ug/dL; 2h). Using wire myography, cumulative concentration-response curves to phenylephrine (PE) were generated to determine contractile responses. From these curves, the EC50 was determined and used to contract rings to assess acetylcholine (ACh) dependent relaxation. Calculated aortic stiffness and remodeling, as well as mRNA expression of vasoactive and pro-inflammatory mediators were assessed. BI-0115 (10μM; selective LOX-1 inhibitor) was used to determine LOX-1 dependence. In this study, we investigated the effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) via the LOX-1 receptor on murine thoracic aortic vasoreactivity, stiffness, and remodeling across age and sex. Our results demonstrate a differential sex, age, endothelial cell, and LOX-1 dependent alterations to the effcacy of PE-induced contractile responses and ACh-mediated vasorelaxation in the thoracic aortic rings following oxLDL exposure. Additionally, we observed a distinct sex and age effect on thoracic aortic stiffness following exposure to oxLDL. There was also a sex effect on calculated vessel diameter, as well as an age effect on oxLDL-mediated inward remodeling that was LOX-1 dependent. We also observed an oxLDL and age dependent increase in LOX-1, IL-6, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and ET-1 receptor alpha and beta mRNA expression. Thus, LOX-1 inhibition and the resulting attenuation of oxLDL/endothelial-mediated alterations in aortic function suggests that there are differential sex differences in the role of oxLDL/LOX-1 in the thoracic aorta of male and female mice. In conclusion, acute exposure to oxLDL led to altered vasoreactivity, endothelial dysfunction, and changes in aortic stiffness and remodeling. These effects were in-part age, sex, endothelial, and LOX-1 dependent. This study reveals potential complex interactions in oxLDL/LOX-1-mediated vascular responses that could serve as potential therapeutic intervention for vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. University of Arizona Valley Research Partnership Grant VRP37 P2 (RJG), American Heart Association 19AIREA34480018 (RJG), UA VRP Grant VRP55 P1a (TSW). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

PM2.5 Temporally Decreases Human Brain Endothelial Barrier Proteins and Concomitantly Increases Inflammation and Autophagy in a Dose Dependent Manner

Exposure to airborne particulate matter 2.5 (particle size &lt;PM2.5 um) pollution is a significant co-morbidity for stroke and other cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, causing premature mortality. However, mechanisms underlying PM2.5-mediated endothelial dysfunction and integrity loss are not known. Our goal was to elucidate how PM2.5 alters brain endothelial phenotype causing inflammation and loss of barrier integrity to provide better insight to the potential pathogenesis of PM2.5. We hypothesized that PM2.5 would alter integral endothelial barrier proteins as well as inflammatory mediators in a dose and temporal dependent manner, subsequently exacerbating the impact of acute ischemic-like injury. Primary adult male human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) were preconditioned with PM2.5 (300, 75, or 15 μg/m3; 12, 24, or 36h) or vehicle, then exposed to normoxia (21% O2) or ischemic-like injury, hypoxia plus glucose deprivation (HGD; 1% O2), for 3h. HBMEC barrier function was assessed via trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER). HBMEC levels or expression of barrier markers (claudin-5, occludin, ZO-1), adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and PECAM-1), inflammatory proteins (iNOS, COX-2, LOX-1, TNF-α, IL-1β), and autophagic protein (Beclin-1) were examined using qRT-PCR, in cell western, and standard immunoblotting. Ischemia-like injury as well as PM2.5 decreased HBMEC barrier function. PM2.5 also induced a concomitant temporal and dose dependent decrease in claudin-5 and increase in iNOS as well as TNF-α levels. Additionally, PM2.5 increased protein levels of beclin-1 and LOX-1 like that of HGD alone; however, combination of PM2.5 and HGD decreased levels of beclin-1. HGD alone or in combination with PM2.5 decreased levels of PECAM-1, but PM2.5 alone did not alter PECAM-1. PM2.5 in the presence or absence of HGD induced differential alteration in claudin-5 isoform protein levels. Intriguingly, PM2.5 decreased claudin-5 mRNA levels like that observed in HBMECs exposed to HGD alone. PM2.5 plus HGD significantly increased mRNA levels of both ICAM-1 and IL-1β. In conclusion, PM2.5 mediated inflammatory and vascular pathogenesis involves a potential complex intracellular molecular framework associated with the brain endothelium which is compounded by ischemic like injury. These findings have revealed detrimental effects of PM2.5 on the brain vascular endothelium which will help to identify targets in the endothelium to restore or preserve cerebrovascular homeostasis. University of Arizona Valley Research Partnership Grant VRP37 P2 (RJG), American Heart Association 19AIREA34480018 (RJG), UA VRP Grant VRP55 P1a (TSW). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Empowering Nursing Students to Adopt and Embody Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare.

This paper presents an international academic partnership in teaching and research with two case studies. The cases explore the integration of Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare (SBNH) and SBNH-Leadership (SBNH-L) in nursing science programs. SBNH values and foundations were integrated within an undergraduate-level community health course in Canada and SBNH-L was introduced into a graduate-level program in Brazil. Both cases comprise active learning activities promoting the uptake of the values and foundations of SBNH and the capacity to identify strengths and innate capacities. This paper synthesizes the issues and provides recommendations to enhance teaching-learning strategies to support SBNH adoption by students to support the humanization of healthcare. International partnerships in education and research and facilitating factors are discussed.

Digital Health Education for the Future: The SaNuRN (Santé Numérique Rouen-Nice) Consortium's Journey.

SaNuRN is a five-year project by the University of Rouen Normandy (URN) and the Côte d’Azur University (CAU) consortium to optimize digital health education for medical and paramedical students, professionals, and administrators. The project includes a skills framework, training modules, and teaching resources. In 2027, SaNuRN is expected to train a significant portion of the 400,000 health and paramedical professions students at the French national level. Our purpose is to give a synopsis of the SaNuRN initiative, emphasizing its novel educational methods and how they will enhance the delivery of digital health education. Our goals include showcasing SaNuRN as a comprehensive program consisting of a proficiency framework, instructional modules, and educational materials and explaining how SaNuRN is implemented in the participating academic institutions. SaNuRN is a project aimed at educating and training health-related and paramedics students in digital health. The project results from a cooperative effort between URN and CAU, covering four French departments. The project is based on the French National Referential on Digital Health (FNRDH), which defines the skills and competencies to be acquired and validated by every student in the health, paramedical, and social professions curricula. The SaNuRN team is currently adapting the existing URN and CAU syllabi to FNRDH and developing short-duration video capsules of 20 to 30 minutes to teach all the relevant material. The project aims to ensure that the largest student population earns the necessary skills, and it has developed a two-tier system involving facilitators who will enable the efficient expansion of the project’s educational outreach and support the students in learning the needed material efficiently. With a focus on real-world scenarios and innovative teaching activities integrating telemedicine devices and virtual professionals, SaNuRN is committed to enabling continuous learning for healthcare professionals in clinical practice. The SaNuRN team introduced new ways of evaluating healthcare professionals by shifting from a knowledge-based to a competencies-based evaluation, aligning with the Miller teaching pyramid and using the Objective Structured Clinical Examination and Script Concordance Test in digital health education. Drawing on the expertise of URN, CAU, and their public health and digital research laboratories and partners, the SaNuRN project represents a platform for continuous innovation, including telemedicine training and living labs with virtual and interactive professional activities. The SaNuRN project provides a comprehensive, personalized 30-hour training package for health and paramedical students, addressing all 70 FNRDH competencies. The program is enhanced using AI and NLP to create virtual patients and professionals for digital healthcare simulation. SaNuRN teaching materials are open-access. The project collaborates with academic institutions worldwide to develop educational material in digital health in English and multilingual formats. SaNuRN offers a practical and persuasive training approach to meet the current digital health education requirements.

Genetic research within Indigenous communities: Engagement opportunities and pathways forward

PurposeAgainst a historical backdrop of researchers who violated trust through lack of benefit sharing, transparency, and engagement, efforts are underway to develop better approaches for genetic and genomic research with Indigenous communities. To increase engagement, there is a need to understand factors that affect researcher and community collaborations. This study aimed to understand the barriers, challenges, and facilitators of Indigenous Peoples in the United States participating in genetic research. MethodsWe conducted 42 semistructured interviews with Tribal leaders, clinicians, researchers, policy makers, and Tribal research review board members across the United States to explore perceived risks, benefits, barriers, and facilitators of genetic research participation. ResultsParticipants, identifying as Indigenous (88%) or non-Indigenous allies (12%), described their concerns, hesitancy, and fears about genetic research, as well as the roles of trust, transparency, and respect for culture in facilitating partnerships. Previous harms—such as sample and data misuse, stigmatization, or misrepresentation by researchers—revealed strategies for building trust to create more equitable and reciprocal research partnerships. ConclusionParticipants in this study offered strategies for increasing genetic research engagement. The pathway forward should foster transparent research policies and practices to facilitate informed research that supports the needs and priorities of participants, communities, and researchers.

Research status and global trends of late-life depression from 2004 to 2023: bibliometric analysis.

Global research hotspots and future research trends in the neurobiological mechanisms of late-life depression (LLD) as well as its diagnosis and treatment are not yet clear. This study profiled the current state of global research on LLD and predicted future research trends in the field. Literature with the subject term LLD was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, and CiteSpace software was used to perform econometric and co-occurrence analyses. The results were visualized using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and other software packages. In total, 10,570 publications were included in the analysis. Publications on LLD have shown an increasing trend since 2004. The United States and the University of California had the highest number of publications, followed consecutively by China and England, making these countries and institutions the most influential in the field. Reynolds, Charles F. was the author with the most publications. The International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry was the journal with the most articles and citations. According to the co-occurrence analysis and keyword/citation burst analysis, cognitive impairment, brain network dysfunction, vascular disease, and treatment of LLD were research hotspots. Late-life depression has attracted increasing attention from researchers, with the number of publications increasing annually. However, many questions remain unaddressed in this field, such as the relationship between LLD and cognitive impairment and dementia, or the impact of vascular factors and brain network dysfunction on LLD. Additionally, the treatment of patients with LLD is currently a clinical challenge. The results of this study will help researchers find suitable research partners and journals, as well as predict future hotspots.

Fidelity in Academic Global Surgery and Research: Incorporating Trustworthiness in the Development of Research Partnerships, Infrastructure, and Policy.

Academic global surgery consists of collaborative partnerships that address surgical inequities through research, training, education, advocacy, and diplomacy. It has been characterized by increased scholastic production through global surgery publications, dedicated global surgery sessions within scientific conferences, global surgery-specific research grants, database development to support global surgery research, global surgery research fellowships, and global surgery-based academic promotion paradigms. The increased emphasis on global surgery research has been accompanied by multiple ethical challenges. This article reviews critical ethical dilemmas presented by global surgery research efforts and proposes interventions on the partnership, infrastructural, and policy levels to enhance fidelity within research partnerships.