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Journal of Virology Jan 2024In the United States (US), biosafety and biosecurity oversight of research on viruses is being reappraised. Safety in virology research is paramount and oversight...
In the United States (US), biosafety and biosecurity oversight of research on viruses is being reappraised. Safety in virology research is paramount and oversight frameworks should be reviewed periodically. Changes should be made with care, however, to avoid impeding science that is essential for rapidly reducing and responding to pandemic threats as well as addressing more common challenges caused by infectious diseases. Decades of research uniquely positioned the US to be able to respond to the COVID-19 crisis with astounding speed, delivering life-saving vaccines within a year of identifying the virus. We should embolden and empower this strength, which is a vital part of protecting the health, economy, and security of US citizens. Herein, we offer our perspectives on priorities for revised rules governing virology research in the US.
Topics: Humans; Containment of Biohazards; COVID-19; United States; Viruses; Virology; Biomedical Research
PubMed: 38168672
DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01791-23 -
BMC Neuroscience Jun 2023When it comes to studying neural plasticity and psychedelics, the numerous and diverse neuroscientific fields converging on the topic provide unique insight into a...
When it comes to studying neural plasticity and psychedelics, the numerous and diverse neuroscientific fields converging on the topic provide unique insight into a complex picture. This editorial will describe the major ways in which the known effects of psychedelics on plasticity are being studied. We lay out strengths of different techniques and the major gaps and room for future research, particularly in the translation of pre-clinical studies to human research.
Topics: Humans; Hallucinogens; Neuronal Plasticity; Biomedical Research; Animals
PubMed: 37391744
DOI: 10.1186/s12868-023-00809-0 -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Dec 2023Medical education is a growing international field of research. However, no overview exists of Norwegian researchers' contribution to the field. This study aimed to...
BACKGROUND
Medical education is a growing international field of research. However, no overview exists of Norwegian researchers' contribution to the field. This study aimed to identify and describe medical education research originating from Norwegian research institutions.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
We performed targeted searches in Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest Education and Cristin, and identified published research within the field from Norwegian institutions. Using bibliometric analyses, we mapped patterns in research output over time, research communities that have published their work, and which publication channels were used. We also categorized the research articles according to methodology, empirical origin, educational level and topic.
RESULTS
We found 423 published research articles linked to Norwegian research institutions and an increase in the number of publications in the last decade. The studies were published in 141 different scientific journals. Of these, the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association had 94 articles (22 %). A total of 122 (29 %) articles were published in key medical education journals. Altogether 249 (59 %) of the studies were quantitative and 262 (62 %) were based on empirical data from Norway. A little more than half, 237 (56 %), focused on undergraduate medical education. Researchers affiliated to the University of Oslo were involved in 173 (43 %) articles. The most frequently researched topics were curricula, teaching and learning technology, retention and career choices.
INTERPRETATION
Research activity within the field of medical education is increasing in Norway, but few Norwegian researchers publish in the specialised medical education journals.
Topics: Humans; Bibliometrics; Norway; Biomedical Research; Curriculum
PubMed: 38088296
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.23.0398 -
Revista Da Escola de Enfermagem Da U S P 2023
Topics: Humans; Biomedical Research; Qualitative Research; Research Personnel
PubMed: 37565999
DOI: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2023-E001en -
The Permanente Journal Jun 2023The prevalence of burnout is much higher in physicians than in other occupations. Academic physicians serve important functions, training future physicians and advancing... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of burnout is much higher in physicians than in other occupations. Academic physicians serve important functions, training future physicians and advancing medical research in addition to doing clinical work. However, they are particularly vulnerable to burnout for reasons including low compensation for teaching, pressure to publish despite a lack of time and declining research funds, and a redistribution of clinical workload due to restrictions on trainee work hours. Junior faculty, women, and marginalized groups are the most affected. Beyond poor physician health and worse patient outcomes, burnout is strongly associated with reduced work effort and an intent to leave the profession. Moreover, physicians are leaving the workforce in record numbers, further increasing the stress on remaining physicians. Combined with a worsening of quality of patient care, this increased rate of physician burnout threatens the viability of health care organizations. This review discusses the causes and consequences of faculty burnout, as well as interventions undertaken for its mitigation.
Topics: Female; Humans; Burnout, Psychological; Biomedical Research; Physicians; Publishing; Workload
PubMed: 37309180
DOI: 10.7812/TPP/23.032 -
BMC Bioinformatics Apr 2024Text summarization is a challenging problem in Natural Language Processing, which involves condensing the content of textual documents without losing their overall...
BACKGROUND
Text summarization is a challenging problem in Natural Language Processing, which involves condensing the content of textual documents without losing their overall meaning and information content, In the domain of bio-medical research, summaries are critical for efficient data analysis and information retrieval. While several bio-medical text summarizers exist in the literature, they often miss out on an essential text aspect: text semantics.
RESULTS
This paper proposes a novel extractive summarizer that preserves text semantics by utilizing bio-semantic models. We evaluate our approach using ROUGE on a standard dataset and compare it with three state-of-the-art summarizers. Our results show that our approach outperforms existing summarizers.
CONCLUSION
The usage of semantics can improve summarizer performance and lead to better summaries. Our summarizer has the potential to aid in efficient data analysis and information retrieval in the field of biomedical research.
Topics: Algorithms; Semantics; Information Storage and Retrieval; Natural Language Processing; Biomedical Research
PubMed: 38627652
DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05712-x -
Genes Jan 2024Population-based biobanking is an essential element of medical research that has grown substantially over the last two decades, and many countries are currently pursuing... (Review)
Review
Population-based biobanking is an essential element of medical research that has grown substantially over the last two decades, and many countries are currently pursuing large national biobanking initiatives. The rise of individual biobanks is paralleled by various networking activities in the field at both the national and international level, such as BBMRI-ERIC in the EU. A significant contribution to population-based biobanking comes from large cohort studies and national repositories, including the United Kingdom Biobank (UKBB), the CONSTANCES project in France, the German National Cohort (NAKO), LifeLines in the Netherlands, FinnGen in Finland, and the All of Us project in the U.S. At the same time, hospital-based biobanking has also gained importance in medical research. We describe some of the scientific questions that can be addressed particularly well by the use of population-based biobanks, including the discovery and calibration of biomarkers and the identification of molecular correlates of health parameters and disease states. Despite the tremendous progress made so far, some major challenges to population-based biobanking still remain, including the need to develop strategies for the long-term sustainability of biobanks, the handling of incidental findings, and the linkage of sample-related and sample-derived data to other relevant resources.
Topics: Humans; Biological Specimen Banks; Population Health; Biomedical Research; Calibration; Finland
PubMed: 38254956
DOI: 10.3390/genes15010066 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023In biomedical research, germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models enable the mechanistic investigation of microbiota-host interactions and their role on (patho)physiology.... (Review)
Review
In biomedical research, germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models enable the mechanistic investigation of microbiota-host interactions and their role on (patho)physiology. Throughout any gnotobiotic experiment, standardized and periodic microbiological testing of defined gnotobiotic housing conditions is a key requirement. Here, we review basic principles of germ-free isolator technology, the suitability of various sterilization methods, and the use of sterility testing methods to monitor germ-free mouse colonies. We also discuss their effectiveness and limitations, and share the experience with protocols used in our facility. In addition, possible sources of isolator contamination are discussed and an overview of reported contaminants is provided.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Sterilization; Germ-Free Life; Biomedical Research; Infertility
PubMed: 38022683
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275109 -
Cells Aug 2023Besides its importance as a livestock species, pig is increasingly being used as an animal model for biomedical research. Macrophages play critical roles in immunity to... (Review)
Review
Besides its importance as a livestock species, pig is increasingly being used as an animal model for biomedical research. Macrophages play critical roles in immunity to pathogens, tissue development, homeostasis and tissue repair. These cells are also primary targets for replication of viruses such as African swine fever virus, classical swine fever virus, and porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus, which can cause huge economic losses to the pig industry. In this article, we review the current status of knowledge on porcine macrophages, starting by reviewing the markers available for their phenotypical characterization and following with the characteristics of the main macrophage populations described in different organs, as well as the effect of polarization conditions on their phenotype and function. We will also review available cell lines suitable for studies on the biology of porcine macrophages and their interaction with pathogens.
Topics: Animals; African Swine Fever Virus; Biomedical Research; Cell Line; Macrophages; Swine
PubMed: 37626913
DOI: 10.3390/cells12162103 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Apr 2024This review delves into the possible role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical research, from planning to publication. AI can aid in idea generation, data... (Review)
Review
This review delves into the possible role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical research, from planning to publication. AI can aid in idea generation, data analysis, and writing, with tools like chatbots and transcription systems enhancing efficiency. However, AI's limitations, including the "hallucination" problem in which it generates false information, require careful use and verification. Ensuring anonymity compliance with sensitive data is also vital. AI's transformative potential in research brings opportunities for innovation, necessitating mindful application to manage biases and data accuracy.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Biomedical Research; Humans; Data Accuracy
PubMed: 38704722
DOI: 10.61409/V08230532