The post NIHR Global Health Mentoring Programme Research PILOT – Mentor Expression of Interest was curated by information for practice.

Green New Deal are three words that have acquired great notoriety in recent times and seem to finally be the answer to the increasingly pressing requests coming from the variegated environmental world. The fear that our planet will undergo an ecological collapse that makes it an uninhabitable hell for humanity and the rest of living creatures, be they animals or plants, has prompted a part of Western society to reconsider its priorities and way of living. A part that is not very large, to be honest, but that has received a lot of attention from media, celebrities, no-profit foundations and now also from some governments. Apparently, the new green revolution will guarantee us a bright future. Drastically reduced industrial pollution, zero-emission cars, super-efficient homes and workplaces, heated and powered by the energy of the sun: these are just some of the promises, written with fire on the rock, the realization of which will give us a new Garden of Eden planetary in size. But will it really be like this? Some of the visionary benefactors who are heralds for these fabulous ideas continue to insist that the Earth is overpopulated and that it would be better to return to the situation of the early twentieth century, when the population on our planet was about a quarter of what it is today. The question then arises spontaneously on how to get back to that level quickly, with what methods and with what results.

The United States has stopped research into new cancer treatments in Russia, Andrey Kaprin, oncologist at the Russian Ministry of Health, General Director of the National Medical Research Center of Radiology said. According to the expert, the United States independently refused to continue research into new cancer therapy. In particular, the US stopped cooperation on protocols. The corresponding decision of the United States has not affected cancer patients in Russia. On the contrary, domestic fundamental science was given a powerful impetus for development, he noted. "The most important thing that we have come to realise is that we need to create our own,” said the oncologist.

Utimaco has released new consumer research that has found a low level of trust around Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This has highlighted the need for more education from industry into how smart devices are secured with the latest digital security solutions.

While retailers understand the need to move towards increased first-party data collection and personalised shopper engagement, many remain concerned about building privacy-centric experiences that meet consumers’ growing demands for the responsible use of their data, the latest research from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution, warns.

Nearly two-thirds of shoppers step into a store without a specific purchase in mind, looking to be inspired by retailers who can craft the ideal ambience through digital screens and interactive kiosks. 

British Business-to-Business (B2B) companies take on average 32 days to collect, collate and enrich all the necessary data for a new product launch, significantly impacting UK productivity and go-to-market times, according to research conducted by Akeneo, the Product Experience (PX) Company and leading provider of Product Information Management (PIM) solutions.

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses awarded three AACN Impact Research Grants of up to $50,000 each, bringing its total support to more than $1.5 million in funding since 2011.

Supporting a loved one as they near the end of their life can be confronting. Palliative care is there to help but such services are not equally accessible to all Australians, particularly those in rural areas.

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) has been awarded $3.5 million, part of a larger $8 million grant from Education Initiatives, to partner with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) to launch The Academy at Penn, an innovative five-year, cohort-based college- and career-readiness model for high school students. Foundations, Inc. and the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) were also awarded through the grant as part of the larger partnership. The close collaboration involves working together to design, implement, and evaluate the project.

Nearly three dozen Binghamton University, State University of New York researchers have been honored for their work by a Stanford University study that looks at the impact of scientists worldwide. The recently released ranking has identified 33 current faculty who were among the top 2% of all researchers in the world in their fields in 2023.

Nearly three dozen Binghamton University, State University of New York researchers have been honored for their work by a Stanford University study that looks at the impact of scientists worldwide. The recently released ranking has identified 33 current faculty who were among the top 2% of all researchers in the world in their fields in 2023.

Supporting a loved one as they near the end of their life can be confronting. Palliative care is there to help but such services are not equally accessible to all Australians, particularly those in rural areas.

CMIC: critical minerals research review  British Geological Survey

My role as a stable isotope research assistant  British Geological Survey

New research supports conservation of fallow deer across Europe  British Geological Survey

International geoscience research and development  British Geological Survey

New underground observatory open for research  British Geological Survey

Preparation of biomacromolecules for structural biology studies is a complex and time-consuming process. The goal is to produce a highly concentrated, highly pure product that is often shipped to large facilities with tools to prepare the samples for crystallization trials or for measurements at synchrotrons and cryoEM centers. The aim of this article is to provide guidance and to discuss general considerations for shipping biomacromolecular samples. Details are also provided about shipping samples for specific experiment types, including solution- and cryogenic-based techniques. These guidelines are provided with the hope that the time and energy invested in sample preparation is not lost due to shipping logistics.

This review summarizes the methodological aspects of laboratory X-ray powder micro-diffraction and demonstrates the assets of the method in the research of painted artworks for evaluation of their provenance or diagnosing their degradation.

Painted artworks represent a significant group of cultural heritage artifacts, which are primarily admired because of their aesthetic quality. Nevertheless, the value of each particular painting depends also on what is known about it. Material investigation of paintings is one of the most reliable sources of information. Materials in painted artworks (i.e. panel, easel and miniature paintings, wall paintings, polychromed sculptures etc.) represent an extensive set of inorganic and organic phases, which are often present in complicated mixtures and exhibit characteristics reflecting their geological genesis (mineral pigments), manufacturing technology (artificial pigments), diverse biological nature (binders or dyes) or secondary changes (degradation or intentional later interventions). The analyses of paintings are often made challenging by the heterogeneous nature and minute size of micro-samples or, in some cases, even by the impossibility of sampling due to the preciousness, fragility or small dimensions of the artwork. This review demonstrates the successful implementation of laboratory X-ray powder micro-diffraction for material investigation of paintings, illustrating its efficiency for mineralogical analysis of (i) earth-based materials indicating the provenance of paintings, (ii) copper-based pigments pointing to their origin, and (iii) products of both salt corrosion and saponification enabling one to reveal the deterioration and probable original appearance of artworks.

To date, computed tomography experiments, carried-out at synchrotron radiation facilities worldwide, pose a tremendous challenge in terms of the breadth and complexity of the experimental datasets produced. Furthermore, near real-time three-dimensional reconstruction capabilities are becoming a crucial requirement in order to perform high-quality and result-informed synchrotron imaging experiments, where a large amount of data is collected and processed within a short time window. To address these challenges, we have developed and deployed a synchrotron computed tomography framework designed to automatically process online the experimental data from the synchrotron imaging beamlines, while leveraging the high-performance computing cluster capabilities to accelerate the real-time feedback to the users on their experimental results. We have, further, integrated it within a modern unified national authentication and data management framework, which we have developed and deployed, spanning the entire data lifecycle of a large-scale scientific facility. In this study, the overall architecture, functional modules and workflow design of our synchrotron computed tomography framework are presented in detail. Moreover, the successful integration of the imaging beamlines at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility into our scientific computing framework is also detailed, which, ultimately, resulted in accelerating and fully automating their entire data processing pipelines. In fact, when compared with the original three-dimensional tomography reconstruction approaches, the implementation of our synchrotron computed tomography framework led to an acceleration in the experimental data processing capabilities, while maintaining a high level of integration with all the beamline processing software and systems.

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) was established as the first open-access digital data resource in biology and medicine in 1971 with seven X-ray crystal structures of proteins. Today, the PDB houses >210 000 experimentally determined, atomic level, 3D structures of proteins and nucleic acids as well as their complexes with one another and small molecules (e.g. approved drugs, enzyme cofactors). These data provide insights into fundamental biology, biomedicine, bioenergy and biotechnology. They proved particularly important for understanding the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. The US-funded Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) and other members of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) partnership jointly manage the PDB archive and support >60 000 `data depositors' (structural biologists) around the world. wwPDB ensures the quality and integrity of the data in the ever-expanding PDB archive and supports global open access without limitations on data usage. The RCSB PDB research-focused web portal at https://www.rcsb.org/ (RCSB.org) supports millions of users worldwide, representing a broad range of expertise and interests. In addition to retrieving 3D structure data, PDB `data consumers' access comparative data and external annotations, such as information about disease-causing point mutations and genetic variations. RCSB.org also provides access to >1 000 000 computed structure models (CSMs) generated using artificial intelligence/machine-learning methods. To avoid doubt, the provenance and reliability of experimentally determined PDB structures and CSMs are identified. Related training materials are available to support users in their RCSB.org explorations.

JUAMI, the joint undertaking for an African materials institute, is a project to build collaborations and materials research capabilities between PhD researchers in Africa, the United States, and the world. Focusing on research-active universities in the East African countries of Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda, the effort has run a series of schools focused on materials for sustainable energy and materials for sustainable development. These bring together early-career researchers from Africa, the US, and beyond, for two weeks in a close-knit environment. The program includes lectures on cutting-edge research from internationally renowned speakers, highly interactive tutorial lectures on the science behind the research, also from internationally known researchers, and hands-on practicals and team-building exercises that culminate in group proposals from self-formed student teams. The schools have benefited more than 300 early-career students and led to proposals that have received funding and have led to research collaborations and educational non-profits. JUAMI continues and has an ongoing community of alumni who share resources and expertise, and is open to like-minded people who want to join and develop contacts and collaborations internationally.

The workshop titled `X-ray-based technologies in emerging fuel cell research', organized by Vivian Stojanoff from Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Narayanasami Sukumar from Cornell University/Advanced Photon Source-Northeastern Collaborative Access Team, was a notable segment of the National Synchrotron Light Source II and Center for Functional Nanomaterials Users' Meeting held 13–17 May 2024. This one-day event, on 13 May 2024, at BNL in New York, aimed to bring together researchers, beamline scientists, management and developers to propel fuel cell technology forward using model systems inspired by natural photosynthesis and redox enzymes. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, advancements and future implications of the workshop.

PayComplete has unveiled a report that...

Facemasks remain worn as firefighter paramedic Jorge Miranda, holding syringe, speaks with Eduardo Vasquez, who has lived homeless on the streets of Los Angeles since 1992, before administering the one-shot Johnson and Johnson' Janssen Covid-19 vaccine as part of outreach to the homeless by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department's Covid Outreach unit on June 14, 2021 in Los Angeles.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with UCSF’s Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. 

Topics today include:

• Two weeks after reopening, LA County’s new COVID-19 cases have doubled

• CDC: Infected vaccinated people carry less COVID-19 virus

• Delta variant is now detected in all 50 states

• J&J: “At present, there is no evidence to suggest need for a booster dose to be administered”

• Novavax claims vaccine’s overall efficacy is 89.7%

• Another respiratory virus is spreading in the U.S.

• Curevac’s final trial show shot is far less effective than other vaccines

• Can we now live with the coronavirus?

• Israel scrambles to curb rising COVID-19 infection rates

• Is it time to rethink “one-size-fits-all” approach for masking?

Guest:

Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets @PCH_SF

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Restoration of the imperiled sagebrush biome will require tools that assist resource managers in determining which restoration practices are most effective, and when and where restoration efforts will lead to the most ecosystem recovery. New research from USGS and Colorado State University provides biome-wide insights and spatially explicit tools that can inform restoration practices. 

The Pathfinding Partnerships Award from CO-LABS recognizes impactful, collaborative research projects organized by four or more research entities, including federal labs, in Colorado. This year, the Wildfire Research (WiRē) team received this award for their support of evidence-based community wildfire education to help communities live with wildfire. 

From humble beginnings, the CRC collections have grown into an expansive 80,000 square foot warehouse space, which provides ample storage for 64,000 cores and well cuttings. This enhancement not only maximizes storage capacity but also offers invaluable resources to researchers from academia, industry, and state and federal governments. 

Three applied research centers at the Charlotte Research Institute will install instrumentation and conduct experiments at the Eco-Complex, an expansion of innovative waste reduction and waste processing technology already underway at the Complex.

The facility is now testing biodiesel fuel being produced by several companies in the region and from the harvest of crops growing around the landfill to test which ones grow best in the local climate while producing the best oils for biodiesel.

Increased research is the key to developing more widely applicable detection systems to find pipe bombs before they explode and to help catch the perpetrators when a bomb has gone off, says a new report from a committee of the National Research Council.

Although there is evidence of harmful health and ecological effects associated with exposure to high doses of chemicals known as hormonally active agents – or endocrine disrupters – little is understood about the harm posed by exposure to the substances at low concentrations, such as those that typically exist in the environment, says a new report from a National Research Council committee.

Representatives from academies and research organizations around the world sent messages of condolence and support to members, officials and staff of the U.S. National Academies in the wake of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The following are excerpts from some of these messages.

Police officers are perhaps the most visible faces of the law, and one of the few groups authorized to use force when dealing with the public. But despite the pivotal role that officers play in preventing and controlling crime, and in promoting justice, the science base is often inadequate regarding the value, fairness, and legitimacy of police practices and policies.

The role of guns in U.S. society is a subject of intense policy debate and disagreement.

The National Academies today recommended guidelines for research involving human embryonic stem cells, and urged all institutions conducting such research to establish oversight committees to ensure that the new guidelines will be followed.

The high rate of premature births in the United States constitutes a public health concern that costs society at least $26 billion a year, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

A new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of disease and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment, says a new report from the National Research Council.

Research to date on the effect of capital punishment on homicide rates is not useful in determining whether the death penalty increases, decreases, or has no effect on these rates, says a new report from the National Research Council.

A new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council proposes priorities for a research agenda to improve understanding of the public health aspects of gun-related violence, including its causes, health burden, and possible interventions.

The Institute of Medicine today presented the Gustav O. Lienhard Award to Linda Aiken, Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, for her rigorous research demonstrating the importance of nursing care and work environments in achieving safe, effective, patient-centered, and affordable health care.

Efforts to convert civilian research reactors from weapon-grade highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuels are taking significantly longer than anticipated, says a congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Insufficient sleep can decrease a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver’s level of alertness, which may increase the risk of a crash, yet little is known about effective ways to minimize that risk, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Weather and environmental forecasts made several weeks to months in advance can someday be as widely used and essential as current predictions of tomorrow’s weather are, but first more research and sustained investment are needed, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that examines the regulations governing federally funded research recommends that Congress authorize and the president appoint an independent national commission to examine and update the ethical, legal, and institutional frameworks governing research involving human subjects.

Increasing energy demands and expanding industrial and agricultural activities worldwide are changing the composition of the atmosphere and contributing to major global challenges like climate change and air pollution. The study of atmospheric chemistry plays a key role in understanding and responding to these challenges, and research in this field has been successful in guiding policies to improve air quality in urban areas and reduce acid rain and stratospheric ozone depletion.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine highlights the complexity of communicating about science effectively, especially when dealing with contentious issues, and proposes a research agenda to help science communicators and researchers identify effective methods.