Trials of Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments Routinely Exclude Sex, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity from Consideration in Outcomes

The manifestation of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its social, health, and psychological implications depend in part on patient demographics. Yet researchers routinely exclude those demographics from analyses of non-medicinal AUD treatment trials, a review of studies has found. Consequently, little is known about how sex, gender, race, and ethnicity influence the effectiveness of those treatments, or which treatments are indicated — or not — for specific patients and communities. This is despite the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act in 1993 requiring that NIH-funded studies include diversity of sex/gender and race/ethnicity in their participant samples and analysis. Problematic alcohol use, which has high prevalence and low treatment rates, is a leading contributor to preventable death and disease. Non-pharmacological treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), contingency management, twelve-step programs, and more. Inequalitie

JMIR Diabetes | Digital Diabetes Prevention Program on Weight and Physical Activity

JMIR Publications recently published “A 12-Month Follow-Up of the Effects of a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program (VP Transform for Prediabetes) on Weight and Physical Activity Among Adults With Prediabetes: Secondary Analysis” in JMIR Diabetes which reported that previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of a diabetes prevention program (DPP) in lifestyle modifications that can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among individuals at risk.

JMIR Nursing | Using a Decision Aid to Support Shared Prenatal Screening Decision Making

JMIR Publications recently published “Web-Based Training for Nurses on Using a Decision Aid to Support Shared Decision-making About Prenatal Screening: Parallel Controlled Trial” in JMIR Nursing which reported that in this study, these authors aimed to assess the impact of a shared decision-making (SDM) training program on nurses’ intention to use a decision aid with pregnant women deciding on prenatal screening for Down syndrome.

Increased Precision and Safety in Spinal Tap with PASS – An Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Puncture Procedure

PASS (Point-Assisted Spinal Sonography), an ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture device from Chula doctors and engineers, helps increase the precision and confidence in spinal tap procedures while reducing risks and pain for patients.

Albupro Plus Dietary Supplements Research from Chula for Kidney Patients and all Healthy People

A lecturer of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chula unveils her research on high egg white protein dietary supplement Albupro Plus, functional food for health lovers, now ready for sale.

JMIR Formative Research | Digital Life Coaching During Stem Cell Transplantation

JMIR Publications recently published “Digital Life Coaching During Stem Cell Transplantation: Development and Usability Study” in JMIR Formative Research which reported that the authors launched a single-arm pilot study to investigate the feasibility of patient engagement with digital life coaching (DLC) during this intensive period.

JMIR Biomedical Engineering | Using Machine Learning to Reduce Treatment Burden

JMIR Publications recently published “Reducing Treatment Burden Among People With Chronic Conditions Using Machine Learning: Viewpoint” in JMIR Biomedical Engineering which reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated multiple challenges within the health care system and is unique to those living with chronic conditions.

JMIR Aging | Using Twitter to Examine Stigma Against People With Dementia During COVID-19

JMIR Publications recently published “Using Twitter to Examine Stigma Against People With Dementia During COVID-19: Infodemiology Study” in JMIR Aging which reported that during the pandemic, there has been significant social media attention focused on the increased COVID-19 risks and impacts for people with dementia and their care partners.

JMIR Medical Education | Digital Teaching in Medical Education: Literature Review

These JMIR Medical Education authors used a bibliometric approach to unveil and evaluate the scientific literature on digital teaching research in medical education, demonstrating recurring research topics, productive authors, research organizations, countries, and journals.

A paper battery with water switch

A team of researchers at Empa developed a water-activated disposable paper battery. The researchers suggest that it could be used to power a wide range of low-power, single-use disposable electronics – such as smart labels for tracking objects, environmental sensors and medical diagnostic devices – and minimize their environmental impact. The proof-of-principle study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Seeing Double for Better Solar Cells

Halide perovskite can make solar cells a thousand times thinner than today’s silicon solar cells. A new approach allows scientists to watch changes in the material’s structure and functional properties while the material solidifies into a thin film from solution. This gives new insight into how the material’s structure and functionality are related, aiding in future solar cell design.

Idoteas are the sea’s bees

Are sea animals involved in the reproductive cycle of algae, like pollinating insects on dry land? Dispersal of the male gametes, or spermatia, of red algae generally relies on water movement, and up until now, scientists did not recognize the role played by animals.

Wake Forest University School of Medicine Collaborating with Physicians in Ecuador on Virtual Reality Radiology Project

Neuroradiologists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have begun a pilot study testing the use of virtual reality (VR) systems to remotely read MRIs and other medical images.
“The wonderful thing about this is that it’s a collaborative environment with people who can look at medical images at the same time, regardless of where they are in the world,” Burdette said. “We are able to interpret images in incredible detail while communicating with the referring clinicians who are seeing the same images in real time, which is just not possible in a traditional reading room in the hospital.”

UK HealthCare, Community Leaders Celebrate Opening of New Sanders-Brown Clinic

Today (July 25), UK HealthCare and community leaders celebrated the full opening of the Sanders-Brown Memory Clinic at Turfland. The new, larger clinic replaces the former Sanders-Brown facilities along North Broadway in Lexington.

The world looks to The University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging for answers to the mysteries of dementia, and the elderly rely on them for help in charting their path to a healthy and vigorous senior lifestyle. After outgrowing their old space, leaders at UK decided it was time that Sanders-Brown’s home for clinical research and patient care reflects their reputation — building them a new home on UK HealthCare’s Turfland Campus.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Computer Science and Physics Departments Appoint New Leaders

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Science has appointed two new department heads. Mohammed Zaki now leads the Department of Computer Science and Gyorgy Korniss leads the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy. The departments are ranked third and fourth in the state of New York, respectively, and 24th nationally by College Factual.

New link found that connects cell signaling pathway to development of esophageal cancers, Barrett’s syndrome

A team of researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center believe they have identified a cell signaling pathway responsible for the development of esophageal adenocarcinomas, an aggressive form of esophageal cancer that has gradually become more common, even in younger people.

New Study Shows Hope, Options for Older Patients With Liver Cancer

Physicians and researchers from UK HealthCare’s Transplant Center and the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center conducted a study of patients over the age of 70 with a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and how the outcomes of ablative treatments compare to liver transplants. The findings were published in the May 2022 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Simons Foundation Announces New Collaboration on Confinement and QCD Strings

The Simons Foundation has announced a new research collaboration to explore the “glue” that holds the visible matter of the universe together. This team will delve into the details of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) — the theory that describes the interactions among the most fundamental building blocks of visible matter.

High-tech imaging reveals details about rare eye disorder

Using a new imaging technique, researchers from the National Eye Institute have determined that retinal lesions from vitelliform macular dystrophy (VMD) vary by gene mutation. Addressing these differences may be key in designing effective treatments for this and other rare diseases. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.