Research Team Research Articles

A qualitative study of the ethics of community scientists' role in environmental health research from the perspective of community scientists and institutional review board staff.

Community engagement in research, including community scientists' (CSs) participation in environmental exposure assessments, promotes the bidirectional flow of information between communities and researchers and improves the development of interventions to reduce environmental health inequities. Nonetheless, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) with limited experience with CS research tend to struggle when reviewing protocols given CS participants' dual role as research participants and co-creators of data. We collected focus group data from 35 Latina housecleaners eliciting their bioethical reflections on their experience as CSs before and after participation in the collection of data about their exposures to chemical compounds in cleaning products. We shared findings from CS participants and collected impressions and challenges from IRB staff from five New York City (NYC) biomedical research institutions. We used a modified approach to conventional content analysis to guide data analysis and combined deductive and inductive approaches to generate codes. The CS participants emphasized their shared responsibility in the research process and bidirectional learning with the research team, which they saw as educating and empowering themselves and their broader community to create safer cleaning practices to improve the community's health and well-being. CS participants embraced the importance of sound science by their recognition that their community relied on the quality and accuracy of their work as CSs. Perspectives from IRB staff similarly recognized the value of participant engagement but emphasized the importance of disentangling CS activities as research participants from activities as research team members to better determine the appropriate mechanisms and authorities for assuring ethical protections. Findings suggest that existing bioethical principles of beneficence, respect for persons, and justice, when interpreted by participants as inclusive of protections and benefits for both the CSs and their community's collective good, reflect the bioethical values of our CS participants. However, better guidance and training is needed for researchers, IRBs and community collaborators to apply these values and respect and protect the full range of roles for community members participating in research. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15824.

Experiences of Team Collaboration in Primary Care-Based Delivery of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment.

Team-based models of care delivery are increasingly utilized to address co-occurring mental health and/or substance use conditions. However, little is known about how team-based models function among primary care teams delivering treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The research team conducted qualitative interviews with a sample of multidisciplinary, primary care team members delivering OUD treatment using the collaborative care model (CoCM). Providers were recruited from 13 diverse United States (U.S.) clinics participating in a multisite hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Interviews were audio recorded and professionally transcribed. All transcripts were double-coded using a coding schema informed by relational coordination theory. Thirty-five team members completed an interview, including 14 primary care providers (PCPs), 13 behavioral health care managers (BHCM), and eight consulting psychiatric providers (CPP). Four themes emerged: (1) team-based work increases shared knowledge about patients; (2) team members leverage one another's relationships with patients to increase treatment engagement; (3) team collaboration is enhanced when BHCMs have opportunities and space to connect informally with PCPs; and (4) increased mutual respect between team members is needed to maximize patient engagement efforts. Team-based models may enhance patient engagement in OUD care by increasing the volume of patient contacts and augmenting therapeutic alliances.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the needs assessment questionnaire for family caregivers of end-of-life older adults in home hospice care

As care moves from disease-centered to family-centered, meeting the needs of caregivers becomes more and more important. The study was to develop and validate a family caregiver needs assessment questionnaire for home hospice care of the end-of-life older adult in Mainland China. Based on the guidance of Harmony Nursing Theory, 48 initial questionnaire items were initially drafted through literature review, interviews with 12 family caregivers of the end-of-life older adult, and group discussions among research team members. Two rounds of expert review and small sample testing resulted in a 36-item prediction questionnaire. From October to December 2023, 223 family caregivers of the end-of-life older adult in Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province were selected to verify the questionnaire. The final questionnaire included 34 items. With a cumulative variance contribution rate of 71.281%, the exploratory factor analysis identified six common factors. The questionnaire’s total Cronbach coefficient was 0.910, and the retest reliability was 0.868. Its content validity index was 0.982, and the items’ content validity index ranged from 0.83 to 1.00. The questionnaire items compilation and screening methods are scientifically reliable. In the future, healthcare can utilize the questionnaire to fully assess the needs of family caregivers of older adult patients end-of-life at home.

Integrating People With Lived Experience of Carceral System Involvement Into Research: Lessons Learned From Ending the HIV Epidemic Research Teams.

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States 2022-2025 emphasized carceral settings for the first time in the national strategy. Centering impacted people can take many forms and is critical to improving the HIV care continuum among people with carceral system involvement (CSI) to meet national Ending the HIV Epidemic goals. We provide a narrative synthesis of the barriers and facilitators of including people with CSI in different aspects of the research process across 5 Ending the HIV Epidemic studies. Data were collected from each team using a data collection form with open-ended questions. A qualitative thematic analysis identified strategies, barriers, and facilitators across studies. Major barriers to including people with CSI in research included institutional policies surrounding participant compensation and hiring practices, as well as a misalignment between the study objectives and the perceived needs of participants. Successful strategies for including people with CSI as part of the research team included providing training, support, and space for emotional processing and self-care to aid in managing the vicarious trauma and boundary setting that are unavoidable parts of this work. Successful strategies for including people with CSI as research participants include flexible research protocols and providing material support for participants in addition to cash payments for participation. It is imperative to create sustainable and equitable, community-engaged research practices that continue to center CSI populations during their involvement in all aspects of HIV-related research studies.

Generating Evidence for Effective HIV Implementation at Scale: The Value and Feasibility of a Network for Implementation Science in HIV.

The Network for Implementation Science in HIV (NISH) was established to conduct multisite research to study real-world implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions across US contexts, and to generate generalizable knowledge around implementation strategies to support the achievement of Ending the HIV Epidemic goals. NISH sites represent diverse Ending the HIV Epidemic priority jurisdictions and include participation of multiple units within those sites (eg, multiple clinics and community-based organizations) and bring together research teams from multiple backgrounds within implementation science and the HIV service sector. We argue and provide examples of how NISH studies have and can contribute to the context versus generalizability debate, generate power in numbers, and synthesize, develop, and test implementation strategies that advance both effectiveness and equity. To date, the network has conducted observational studies exploring ongoing implementation and determinants across contexts, and the identification and codesign of strategies to be leveraged in future work. The next stage of network evolution is to leverage this infrastructure to test implementation strategies through nimble study designs built for fast-changing evidence and implementation environments. We argue that the initial successes of NISH warrant future investment to efficiently capitalize on developed infrastructure and optimize science that can effectively be scaled up to address our most critical questions to end the HIV epidemic and support communities most affected.

Hmong Promoting Vaccines eHealth website: a community-based participatory research pilot to evaluate dissemination and implementation strategies for primary care and educational contexts

BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among Hmong American adolescents are significantly lower than national averages, despite higher cervical cancer rates in this population. eHealth can improve vaccine uptake, especially in the COVID-19 era. Our community-based participatory research team developed and evaluated a culturally-tailored website (https://hmonghpv.com) featuring educational modules on HPV and HPV vaccines in Hmong and English for Hmong adolescents and their parents. This pilot study aimed to determine the most effective dissemination and implementation (D&I) strategies within schools and primary care clinics using community-engaged methods, including community-based participatory research (CBPR), an understudied area in D&I research. CBPR has been underutilized in D&I research, yet its participatory approach ensures that marginalized voices are included, offering valuable insights for implementing and sustaining culturally adapted interventions to enhance uptake and long-term impact.MethodsOur CBPR team included Hmong researchers, university researchers, a public health advocate, and a family medicine physician-researcher. We conducted pre- and post-implementation interviews with six user organizations and seven disseminator community-based organizations to guide the development and assessment of D&I strategies for the website. Using template analysis, we analyzed the pre-implementation data. We then partnered with the user organizations to co-design individualized D&I plans that they implemented during an eight-week pilot period. We used Google Analytics and a Qualtrics survey to assess website use post-implementation.ResultsDuring implementation, user organizations promoted the website to 300 new users, who spent an average of nearly 12 min on the site. The most robust dissemination (n = 117) occurred in a Hmong charter school that integrated the website into their health education curriculum. Post-implementation interviews revealed that D&I plans that fit into clinic workflows and school curricula had the most robust implementation, and that clinic staff found discussing HPV vaccines most useful during adolescent preventive health visits. Challenges included time constraints, lower receptivity to vaccine conversations at non-preventive visits, and adolescents’ preference for alternatives to paper handouts. Disseminator organizations showed strong interest in scaling the website for greater reach in Hmong and non-Hmong populations.ConclusionThis pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of disseminating and implementing a culturally-tailored educational website for HPV education in educational and primary health care settings. Health education curricula in culturally-specific schools proved to be the most effective dissemination modality. A dissemination toolkit with support materials is available to facilitate using the website within educational and primary care contexts. Additionally, using a CBPR approach provided valuable implementation insights to enhance the intervention’s contextual validity and sustainability.

Lessons Learned From Engaging Healthcare Providers in Research on Implementation of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis.

Health care providers are critical for successful implementation of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), but barriers to PrEP provision persist. Researchers must engage with providers to understand how to optimize PrEP delivery across settings. Yet researcher-provider collaborations can be challenging. To offer guidance on engaging providers in PrEP implementation research, we synthesized the experiences of researchers working with different types of providers on studies related to PrEP implementation that were funded as part of the US Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative. Geographic areas designated as high priority by the EHE initiative. We defined providers broadly, including physicians, pharmacists, health educators, and peer navigators. Using thematic analysis from collaborative case reports by EHE study teams, we synthesized strategies, challenges, and successes related to provider engagement, with categorization into three stages of research: study development, recruitment, and data collection. Among 17 research teams invited, 9 contributed. Findings suggested that extensive resources (eg, time, professional networks, financial, and nonfinancial incentives) are required to engage clinical and nonclinical providers across all stages of PrEP implementation research, with the most intensive strategies required for recruiting clinical providers who are not yet providing PrEP. However, when effective strategies are deployed, this investment of resources can yield rich insights into PrEP implementation. The lessons learned by the investigators in our study can be applied to future EHE-funded projects, other HIV-prevention studies, and studies in other areas of health research to improve engagement of providers during all stages of the research process.

The role of MRI research radiographers in clinical research: Responsibilities, challenges, and future directions a UK perspective.

The role of MRI research radiographers in clinical research: Responsibilities, challenges, and future directions a UK perspective.

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of a Smartphone App to Increase Pretransplant Vaccine Rates: Usability Study.

Vaccine-preventable infections result in significant morbidity, mortality, and costs in pediatric transplant recipients. Despite intensive medical care in the pretransplant period, less than 20% of children are up to date for age-appropriate vaccines at the time of transplant. Mobile health apps have the potential to improve pretransplant vaccine rates. This paper aimed to perform phase 2 beta testing of the smartphone app, Immunize PediatricTransplant, to determine (1) if it was effective in achieving up-to-date vaccine status by the time of transplant in a cohort of children awaiting transplants and (2) if the app was feasible and acceptable to parent and transplant provider users. We recruited 25 dyads of parents and providers of a child awaiting a liver, kidney, or heart transplant at Children's Hospital Colorado, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Parents and providers filled out an entry questionnaire before app use to gather baseline information. A research team member entered the child's vaccine records into the app. The parent and provider downloaded and used the app until the transplant to view vaccine records, read vaccine education, communicate with team members, and receive overdue vaccine reminders. After the transplant (or on April 1, 2024, the conclusion of the study), the parent and provider filled out an exit questionnaire to explore feasibility and acceptability of the app. The child's vaccine records were reviewed to determine if the child was up to date on vaccines at the time of transplant. Twenty-five parent and provider dyads were enrolled; 56% (14/25) had a child awaiting a liver transplant, 28% (7/25) had a child awaiting a kidney transplant, and 16% (4/25) had a child awaiting a heart transplant. At the conclusion of the study, 96% (24/25) of the children were up to date on vaccines. Of the 36 parents and providers who filled out an exit questionnaire, 97% (n=35) agreed or strongly agreed that they felt knowledgeable about pretransplant vaccine use and 86% (n=31) agreed or strongly agreed that communication around vaccines was good after using the app. Further, 91% (20/22) of parents and 79% (11/14) of providers recommended the app to future parents and providers of transplant candidates. Parents and providers suggested that in the future the app should connect directly to the electronic medical record or state vaccine registries to obtain vaccine data. The overwhelming majority of children whose parents and providers used the Immunize PediatricTransplant app were up to date on vaccines at the time of transplant. The majority of app users felt the app was feasible and acceptable. In future iterations of the app and subsequent clinical trials, we will explore whether application programming interfaces might be used to extract vaccine data from the electronic medical record. If implemented broadly, this app has the potential to improve pretransplant vaccine rates, resulting in fewer posttransplant infections and improved posttransplant outcomes.

Randomised controlled trial of a nurse coordination intervention for people living with dementia and their carers: study protocol

IntroductionThe multifaceted impact of dementia means that people living with dementia require multidisciplinary care across different services and settings; however, these care transitions pose a risk of fragmented care. Models...

Characterizing suicidal thoughts and behaviours in individuals presenting to a psychiatric emergency department: a protocol for a multimethod approach for suicide prevention research

IntroductionIdentifying individuals at risk of suicide remains an ongoing challenge. Previous research investigating risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STB) has been informative for assessing suicide risk. However, the...

Functional Reactions Facilitated by Carbon Electrodes

This paper reviews new strategies in electrochemical organic synthesis in the Csp3-H/Csp2-H activation, cyclization, REDOX processes, and three-component reactions. Traditional organic synthesis methods encounter numerous challenges in these areas, including harsh reaction conditions, limited substrate ranges, difficulties in selective control, and poor environmental sustainability. Electrochemical synthesis, as a new technology, utilizes electrons as reagents to precisely control the REDOX process by accurately managing the electrode potential, which provides a green and sustainable organic synthesis. Our research team has been dedicated to the field of electrochemical organic synthesis for a long time, and has developed a series of innovative strategies that successfully enable the efficient synthesis of various high-value organic compounds. This paper systematically summarizes our research findings in these areas, emphasizing design strategies, potential mechanisms, and application prospects of the reactions. Our aim is to provide valuable references for researchers in the field of organic synthesis and to promote the further advancement of electrochemical organic synthesis technology.

Chirality in metal-based antimicrobial agents: a growing frontier in biomedical research.

Chirality is increasingly being recognised as a valuable tool in the design of novel metal complexes aimed at combating antimicrobial resistance. Chiral metal complexes possess unique spatial configurations that enable selective interactions with biological targets, providing innovative solutions for treating diseases such as cancer and antimicrobial-resistant infections. Although the relationship between the chirality of metal complexes and their antimicrobial activity was initially highlighted by Dwyer and collaborators in a seminal mid-20th-century study, subsequent research exploring this intriguing relationship has been limited. The few documented cases of enantiomer-dependent biocidal activity are mainly limited to a series of chiral silver complexes recently investigated by our group and the Nomiya research team, which demonstrate enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of specific enantiomers.

Data aggregation in team research: Theoretical considerations and practical recommendations

Studying teams comes with notable theoretical and analytical challenges. One major challenge is data aggregation, the process of bringing a variable that was measured at the individual level to the team level of analysis. We provide an accessible resource about data aggregation that integrates theoretical and empirical insights, dispels common misconceptions, and provides practical guidelines for researchers. We stress that decisions about aggregation should be based on theoretical considerations about the nature of variables and their interrelations. Based on the logic of latent variable models, we distinguish reflective and formative team constructs. For reflective team constructs, we discuss issues of within-team agreement and the notion of the conceptual mean. For formative team constructs, we distinguish between well-defined and ill-defined constructs, and offer guidelines for their aggregation. This discussion results in twelve concrete guidelines that can be used by researchers, reviewers, and editors in the design and evaluation of team studies.

LEVERAGING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE: APPLICATIONS IN BOTANY

Background: The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in precision agriculture attracts substantial research because they have shown promise in both improving farming operations along yield growth. The research explores AI applications within botany with a specific focus on crop health monitoring and soil analysis alongside weather prediction algorithms accurate decision systems and yield optimization processes. Objectives: This research sets out to establish quantitative correlations between AI-based crop health tracking mechanisms AI-based soil testing approaches AI-provided weather prediction solutions and decision precision and improved crop yield outcomes. This research examines how well AI solutions handle essential agricultural problems. Methods: Researchers used a structured survey instrument to collect data from three groups including farmers and researchers alongside technology professionals among 355 participants. The questionnaire contained rating scale items distributed on a 5-point Likert scale. Team researchers used descriptive statistics alongside the Shapiro-Wilk test and Cronbach's Alpha to analyze the data. Results: All variables exhibited significant deviations from normality according to the Shapiro-Wilk test (p < 0.05) requiring the use of non-parametric analysis techniques. Results showed a Cronbach's Alpha rating of 0.57 which reflects moderate unitary scale consistency within the survey instrument. The research demonstrates how stakeholders experience different levels of interaction with AI systems while revealing gaps in current measurement instruments. Conclusions: The analysis presents clear evidence about how AI technology can boost farming outcomes and yield optimization initiatives in precision agriculture operations. The current research needs better design approaches because it revealed moderate questionnaire reliability and non-normal distribution of data points. Researchers agree that AI systems must deliver customized solutions that address the requirements and obstacles faced by different members of the agricultural community. Future research priorities include developing enhanced data collection procedures together with non-parametric data analysis solutions and solutions to barriers impeding agricultural AI adoption.

Gamma Resonance Absorption Technology for Nuclear Materials Assay as a Means of Enhancing Pyroprocessing Safeguards

A team of researchers at Idaho State University is working in partnership with the General Electric Vernova Advanced Research Center (ARC) on the Resonance Absorption Densitometry for Materials Assay Security Safeguards (RADMASS) project. RADMASS is funded under the Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency. The research program, led by ARC, is developing methods to enhance the commercial viability of fast reactor used nuclear fuel recycling using pyroprocessing with a novel input accountancy method. The RADMASS research includes the analysis of a nondestructive assay (NDA) method, called dual isotope notch observer (DINO) detection, that is a nuclear resonance fluorescence technology. Modeling performed with MCNP is guiding the design and optimization of the DINO detection system, with assistance from a machine learning model. Shielding analysis is also being performed in MCNP to inform the pyroprocessing plant design and NDA equipment placement while maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio for the DINO detection system. A parametric study of fuel types and burnups, used as inputs to a MATLAB/Simulink pyroprocessing safeguards model, explores the impacts on the standard error of inventory difference, a key metric in safeguards compliance. The modeled data are for training a machine learning model for optimization of pyroprocessing while meeting safeguards requirements. A figure of merit is under development using the same modeled data, in addition to input accountancy uncertainty values, throughput, recovery rates, and more, to assist in the optimization needed for commercial viability while maintaining safeguards compliance.

Poetizing as a felt need for meaning-making in a cross-cultural team

ABSTRACT In our increasingly interconnected world, understanding local cultures with their intricate nuances within a global context is essential. Moving beyond rigid, one-size-fits-all measures of culture, this paper introduces “poetizing” as a method to sensitize the research team members across cultures to the personal, intimate, and embodied viewpoint of a culture they are not located in. We show auto-ethnographic poems as tools to foster cross-cultural reflections and create a palpable perception of the local context. We also reveal how poems based on local consumer interviews reveal cultural insights hidden behind the silences, the fear of expressing opinions, and the coexistence of conflicting opinions. Furthermore, we use poetry to narrate the conditions of the unreachable voiceless underprivileged consumers through the lens of those who served them. Additionally, we present standalone poems that weave together the experiences of multiple interlocutors to express a specific phenomenon as pure consumer culture poetry.

A practical framework for developing a virtual reality-based anatomy education application: key content and technical requirements

Anatomy is a requirement for medical education, which is necessary for the healthcare system to train professionals, improve their abilities, competencies, and practical experience, and fulfill society. The aim of this study is to provide a practical framework for developing virtual reality-based (VR) anatomy education applications by ascertain the technological and content specifications. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2023–2024 and consisted of three steps. In the first step, related studies were reviewed to extract technical requirements, including software features and facilities. In the second step, VR software stores, such as Steam, Meta, and SideQuest were also examined to consider the most complete technical facilities, and similar software was considered. To this end, information related to the software, including the name of the software, headset and equipment, number of users (single user/multiple users), development tools, 3D material, anatomical position, and the key features are collected in Excel (version 2019). In the third step, seven curriculums of the anatomy course of the undergraduate degree in paramedical fields (including medical laboratory sciences, surgical technology, radiation therapy, radiology, health information technology, emergency care, and anesthesiology) were collected to identify the content requirements. Finally, a list of content and technical features was compiled. By examining software and literature, the research team for this study was able to determine the technological and content requirements. Following the elimination of duplicates, we were left with 80 technical and content requirements, divided into eight and two axes, respectively. The survey was distributed to 124 experts to assess technical and content requirements, and responses were received from a select group of participants, 35 experts. Consequently, we were able to identify 23 content needs that were divided into two axes and 57 technological requirements that were divided into eight categories. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 27). Developers may create educational anatomy software based on VR that not only engages learners but also significantly enhances their grasp of complex anatomical structures by carefully identifying and resolving technical and content needs.

The Virgin Mary as a Role Model Through Quranic Stories

The Muslim community honors Maryam (their name for the Virgin Mary) as the second person they use to symbolize purity after Prophet Muhammad's wife Khadijah. Through Quranic accounts the text presents Mary's best qualities to show everyone she stands as an ethic example of faith and womanhood for all. The research studies Mary in the Quran by exploring both her bloodline and religious vocation as it pertains to her purity. The Quran describes Maryam's merits so we can see why Islam venerates her morality and her role in spiritual matters. The research team analyzed all mentions of Mary in the Quran through direct textual analysis to reveal her biblical profile. The researchers studied Mary's religious standing and family roots plus how she handled herself to confirm her place as a faith leader. The Quran clearly shows Mary as spiritually important because she descends from the House of Imran through her family history. Her strong character points like being morally pure and patient in prayers stand clear through her description. Through tough life periods her strong faith in God makes her stand out as a strong example of spiritual and moral power. These personality traits demonstrate reliable truth about faith and show believers around the world during every generation. According to the Quran the Virgin Mary showcases how anyone can live morally strong and resist wrong religious mindsets. Throughout her narrative God shows her and believers that their devotion leads to salvation. Through Mary's story readers discover spiritual guidance needed to live well in every era.

A health literate evaluation of a reproductive health education program for young men with sickle cell disease

ABSTRACT Background Health literacy (HL) is known to be low among those with sickle cell disease (SCD). Reproductive health knowledge gaps exist among those with SCD, which drove the research team to create an education tool for adolescent males entitled, ‘Fertility edUcaTion to Understand ReproductivE health in Sickle cell disease’ (FUTURES) in 2023. This study sought to evaluate and revise FUTURES using HL tools and a community-advised review to improve clarity, understandability, actionability, and relatability. Methods Four evaluators conducted a HL assessment of the original and revised FUTURES programs using the Patient Education Assessment Tool for Audio/Visual Materials (PEMAT-AV) and the modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clear Communication Index (CDC-CCI-modified). Paired samples t-tests were used to compare PEMAT-AV and CDC-CCI-modified scores between the original and revised versions of FUTURES. Community advisory board feedback identified opportunities to improve program design. Results HL assessment revealed high HL demand of the original FUTURES program. The revised program had significantly higher understandability and clarity scores and was re-designed to be more engaging and representative of the intended audience. However, the CDC-CCI-modified score fell below the recommended threshold and actionability remained unchanged. Conclusions This study outlined an approach that prioritized HL and community voices when revising an education tool, which could be used in future efforts to design accessible and relatable patient education materials for this population and others. More work is needed to evaluate the impact of the HL revision process on patient knowledge and outcomes for this and other at-risk patient populations.