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Research Scientists (research + scientists)
Selected AbstractsResearch Methods of InquiryACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2006Joel Rodgers MA Incidents of significant consequence that create surge may require special research methods to provide reliable, generalizable results. This report was constructed through a process of literature review, expert panel discussion at the journal's consensus conference, and iterative development. Traditional clinical research methods that are well accepted in medicine are exceptionally difficult to use for surge incidents because the incidents are very difficult to reliably predict, the consequences vary widely, human behaviors are heterogeneous in response to incidents, and temporal conditions prioritize limited resources to response, rather than data collection. Current literature on surge research methods has found some degree of reliability and generalizability in case-control, postincident survey methods, and ethnographical designs. Novel methods that show promise for studying surge include carefully validated simulation experiments and survey methods that produce validated results from representative populations. Methodologists and research scientists should consider quasi-experimental designs and case-control studies in areas with recurrent high-consequence incidents (e.g., earthquakes and hurricanes). Specialists that need to be well represented in areas of research include emergency physicians and critical care physicians, simulation engineers, cost economists, sociobehavioral methodologists, and others. [source] The alcohol industry and public interest scienceADDICTION, Issue 2 2010Kerstin Stenius ABSTRACT Aims This report argues that the growing involvement of the alcohol industry in scientific research needs to be acknowledged and addressed. It suggests a set of principles to guide ethical decision-making in the future. Methods We review relevant issues with regard to relationships between the alcohol industry and the international academic community, especially alcohol research scientists. The guiding principles proposed are modelled after expert committee statements, and describe the responsibilities of governmental agencies, the alcohol industry, journal editors and the academic community. These are followed by recommendations designed to inform individuals and institutions about current ,best practices' that are consistent with the principles. Findings and conclusions Growing evidence from the tobacco, pharmaceutical and medical fields suggests that financial interests of researchers may compromise their professional judgement and lead to research results that are biased in favour of commercial interests. It is recommended that the integrity of alcohol science is best served if all financial relationships with the alcoholic beverage industry are avoided. In cases where research funding, consulting, writing assignments and other activities are initiated, institutions, individuals and the alcoholic beverage industry itself are urged to follow appropriate guidelines that will increase the transparency and ethicality of such relationships. [source] Fetal alcohol syndrome through the eyes of parentsADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Jocie DeVries Although fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) was first identified by research scientists in the USA in 1973, it was not until 1989 when an adoptive parent, Michael Dorris, wrote The Broken Cord, that a practical description of the disability came into public awareness. Within the next 2 years, parents of children diagnosed with this disability teemed up with interested professionals to organize the FAS Family Resource Institute (FAS*FRI). This educational non-profit organization has now devoted over a decade to their mission to identify, understand and care for individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome/effects (FAS/E) and to prevent this disability from occurring in future generations. Their mission has necessitated the identification of a behavioral phenotype for FAS/E, the development of a professional training curriculum, and operation of a national family advocacy and mentoring network. By adding their own families' experiences to the information gathered from thousands of other families with diagnosed children, they have accumulated enough experiential, frontline reports which are similar enough to serve as their research science base. [source] 95 Development of macroalgal (seaweed) taxonomic keys utilizing digital & media technologyJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2003R. L. Lehman Digital, user-friendly seaweed identification keys and instructional materials can provide information that allows students and researchers to enhance and improve marine field and ecological studies by including macroalgae. In much of the scientific literature, the seaweeds are only characterized to division (red, green, and brown), sometimes to genus, and very rarely to species; so there is clearly a need for a reference that facilitates the identification of the seaweeds. Many of the problems occur because of the lack of user-friendly identification keys. However, it is not necessary to be an expert to identify seaweeds as many of the key characteristics used in their identification can be ascertained with the naked eye, a hand lens and an inexpensive microscope. What is needed is an identification guide that uses and displays important characters and identification structures visually (both macroscopic and microscopic) so that research scientists, students, teachers and the general public will be able to identify the seaweeds with confidence. We are using Lucid Professional software to construct digital keys for the identification of macroalgae from the Texas Coastal Bend. The advantages include: 1) key characters along with descriptions and images for specific macroalgae may be chosen from a geographic area of choice, 2) the user may evaluate the characters in any order and difficult or uncertain characters may be ignored, 3) descriptive pages of images, definitions, video clips and illustrations may be included for each taxon, and 4) the key can be displayed as a website or packaged as a CD to be used with laptop computers in the field. [source] US and Canadian Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for the macronutrients, energy and physical activityNUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 2 2005B. A. Yon Summary The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in conjunction with Health Canada, released the sixth in a series of reports on dietary reference values for the intake of macronutrients and energy by Americans and Canadians. This report established Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for carbohydrate, fibre, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, amino acids, energy and physical activity. The DRIs replace the USA's Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) last updated in 1989, and Canada's Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs), last published in 1990. A panel of 21 US and Canadian research scientists, clinicians and epidemiologists with expertise in energy, protein and amino acids, carbohydrate, fibre, sugar, lipids, physical activity and life-stage nutrition were appointed to begin the process of reviewing observational and experimental studies published primarily in peer-reviewed journals. The DRIs are based on scientifically grounded relationships between nutrient intake and the prevention of chronic disease, as well as the maintenance of good health. The purpose of this paper is to highlight a number of the definitions, new approaches, and key findings as they apply to the DRIs for the macronutrients, energy and physical activity. [source] The perspective of African-American breast cancer survivor-advocatesCANCER, Issue S1 2003Ngina Lythcott Dr.P.H. Abstract BACKGROUND This article discusses the sometimes unique presentation and course of breast cancer in African-American women and the impact these differences have on the perception of breast disease among African-American women. METHODS The project described represents the thoughts of many African-American breast cancer survivors, as summarized by three breast cancer survivor-advocates who work through very different national organizations, each of whom has vast experience working directly with African-American breast cancer survivors and their families. RESULTS In addition to discussions of compelling considerations that have an impact on survivor access, such as agency, culture, and class, other important access questions are raised for research scientists and clinicians that have an impact on the prevention, screening, and detection and treatment of breast cancer in African-American women as well as their accrual to clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS To eradicate ethnicity-related disparities in breast cancer outcomes for African-American women, it is important for the medical community (clinicians and research scientists) to develop active partnerships with African-American and other breast cancer survivor-advocates in order to establish effective breast health awareness and breast cancer treatment programs and to develop meaningful breast cancer research programs. Cancer 2003;97(1 Suppl):324,8. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11013 [source] Impacts of climate change on aeroallergens: past and futureCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 10 2004P. J. Beggs Summary Human activities are resulting in increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and changes in global climate. These, in turn, are likely to have had, and will continue to have, impacts on human health. While such impacts have received increasing attention in recent years, the impacts of climate change on aeroallergens and related allergic diseases have been somewhat neglected. Despite this, a number of studies have revealed potential impacts of climate change on aeroallergens that may have enormous clinical and public health significance. The purpose of this review is to synthesize this work and to outline a number of research challenges in this area. There is now considerable evidence to suggest that climate change will have, and has already had, impacts on aeroallergens. These include impacts on pollen amount, pollen allergenicity, pollen season, plant and pollen distribution, and other plant attributes. There is also some evidence of impacts on other aeroallergens, such as mould spores. There are many research challenges along the road to a more complete understanding of the impacts of climate change on aeroallergens and allergic diseases such as asthma and hayfever. It is important that public health authorities and allergy practitioners be aware of these changes in the environment, and that research scientists embrace the challenges that face further work in this area. [source] Reconciling Humanistic Ideals and Scientific Clinical PracticeCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2003Kennon M. Sheldon A rift currently exists between two camps in clinical psychology: mental health practitioners, who resonate to concepts such as self-actualization and personal growth, and research scientists, who often shun such concepts as overly value-laden or as empirically indefensible. In the present article we first suggest that this gap is bridged by self-determination theory (SDT), which incorporates aspects of humanistic theories and also stands up to rigorous scientific investigation (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). We then demonstrate how self-determination principles may be applied in the context of empirically supported medical and clinical treatments, to promote enhanced client motivation and treatment compliance. We conclude that scientifically supported treatments and the humanistic tenets of SDT actually facilitate one another, such that clinicians who ignore either of the two aspects may shortchange their clients. [source] | |||||||||||||