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1.
Leveraging the urban-rural divide for epigenetic research.
Cronjé, HT, Elliott, HR, Nienaber-Rousseau, C, Pieters, M
Epigenomics. 2020;(12):1071-1081
Abstract
Urbanization coincides with a complex change in environmental exposure and a rapid increase in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Epigenetics, including DNA methylation (DNAm), is thought to mediate part of the association between genetic/environmental exposure and NCDs. The urban-rural divide provides a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of the combined presence of multiple forms of environmental exposure on DNAm and the related increase in disease risk. This review evaluates the ability of three epidemiological study designs (migration, income-comparative and urban-rural designs) to investigate the role of DNAm in the association between urbanization and the rise in NCD prevalence. We also discuss the ability of each study design to address the gaps in the current literature, including the complex methylation-mediated risk attributable to the cluster of forms of exposure characterizing urban and rural living, while providing a platform for developing countries to leverage their demographic discrepancies in future research ventures.
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2.
Naive extrapolations, overhyped claims and empty promises in ageing research and interventions need avoidance.
Rattan, SIS
Biogerontology. 2020;(4):415-421
Abstract
Most proclamations about another wonder breakthrough and another imminent miracle treatment of ageing are usually overhyped claims and empty promises. It is not that the experimental science behind those claims is totally wrong or fake. But it is often a case of being ahistorical and ignoring the cumulated knowledge and understanding of the evolutionary and biological principles of ageing and longevity. Furthermore, remaining stuck to the body-as-a-machine viewpoint reduces ageing and its associated health challenges to a mere problem of engineering and design. However, highly dynamic nature of the living systems with properties of interaction, interdependence, tolerance, adaptation and constant remodelling requires wholistic and interactive modes of understanding and maintaining health. The physiological relevance and significance of progressively accumulating molecular damage remains to be fully understood. As for ageing interventions, the three pillars of health-food, physical activity, and social and mental engagement-which actually show health-promoting effect, cannot simply be reduced to a single or a limited number of molecular targets with hopes of creating an exercise pill, a fasting pill, a happiness pill and so on. If we want to increase the credibility and socio-political-economic support of ageing research and interventions, we need to resist the temptation to overhype the claims or to make far-fetched promises, which undermine the theoretical and practical significance of new discoveries in biogerontology.
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A core outcome set for hyperemesis gravidarum research: an international consensus study.
Jansen, L, Koot, MH, Van't Hooft, J, Dean, CR, Duffy, J, Ganzevoort, W, Gauw, N, Goes, BY, Rodenburg, J, Roseboom, TJ, et al
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. 2020;(8):983-992
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop a core outcome set for trials on the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). DESIGN Identification of outcomes is followed by a modified Delphi survey combined with a consensus development meeting and a consultation round. SETTING An international web-based survey combined with a consensus development meeting. POPULATION Stakeholders including researchers; women with lived experience of HG and their families; obstetric health professionals; and other health professionals. METHODS We used systematic review, semi-structured patient interviews, closed group sessions and Steering Committee input to identify potential core outcomes. We conducted two web-based survey rounds, followed by a face-to-face consensus development meeting and a web-based consultation round. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A core outcome set for research on HG. RESULTS Fifty-six potential outcomes were identified. The modified Delphi process was completed by 125 stakeholders, the consensus development meeting by 20 stakeholders and the consultation round by 96 stakeholders. Consensus was reached in ten domains on 24 outcomes: nausea; vomiting; inability to tolerate oral fluids or food; dehydration; weight difference; electrolyte imbalance; intravenous fluid treatment; use of medication for hyperemesis gravidarum; hospital treatment; treatment compliance; patient satisfaction; daily functioning; maternal physical or mental or emotional wellbeing; short- and long-term adverse effects of treatment; maternal death; pregnancy complications; considering or actually terminating a wanted pregnancy; preterm birth; small for gestational age; congenital anomalies; neonatal morbidity and offspring death). CONCLUSIONS This core outcome set will help standardise outcome reporting in HG trials. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT A core outcome set for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum in order to create high-quality evidence.
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Towards better evidence-informed global action: lessons learnt from the Lancet series and recent developments in physical activity and public health.
Ding, D, Ramirez Varela, A, Bauman, AE, Ekelund, U, Lee, IM, Heath, G, Katzmarzyk, PT, Reis, R, Pratt, M
British journal of sports medicine. 2020;(8):462-468
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Abstract
In the past few decades, the field of physical activity has grown and evolved in scope, depth, visibility and impact around the world. Global progress has been observed in research and practice in physical activity regarding surveillance, health outcomes, correlates/determinants, interventions, translation and policy. The 2012 and 2016 Lancet series on physical activity provide some of the most comprehensive global analysis on various topics within physical activity. Based on the Lancet series and other key developments in the field, literature searches, and expert group meetings and consultation, we provide a global summary on the progress of, gaps in and future directions for physical activity research in the following areas: (1) surveillance and trends, (2) correlates and determinants, (3) health outcomes and (4) interventions, programmes and policies. Besides lessons learnt within each specific area, several recommendations are shared across areas of research, including improvement in measurement, applying a global perspective with a growing emphasis on low-income and middle-income countries, improving inclusiveness and equity in research, making translation an integral part of research for real-world impact, taking an 'upstream' public health approach, and working across disciplines and sectors to co-design research and co-create solutions. We have summarised lessons learnt and recommendations for future research as 'roadmaps' in progress to encourage moving the field of physical activity towards achieving population-level impact globally.
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5.
Advancing the Science in Gastric Pre-Neoplasia: Study Design Considerations.
Davitkov, P, Altayar, O, Shah, SC, Gawron, AJ, Mustafa, RA, Sultan, S, Morgan, DR
Gastroenterology. 2020;(3):751-759
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The importance of real-life research in respiratory medicine: manifesto of the Respiratory Effectiveness Group: Endorsed by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group and the World Allergy Organization.
Roche, N, Anzueto, A, Bosnic Anticevich, S, Kaplan, A, Miravitlles, M, Ryan, D, Soriano, JB, Usmani, O, Papadopoulos, NG, Canonica, GW, et al
The European respiratory journal. 2019;(3)
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7.
Challenges in IBD Research: Pragmatic Clinical Research.
Scott, FI, Rubin, DT, Kugathasan, S, Bousvaros, A, Elson, CO, Newberry, RD, Melmed, GY, Pekow, J, Fleshman, JW, Boyle, BM, et al
Inflammatory bowel diseases. 2019;(Suppl 2):S40-S47
Abstract
Pragmatic clinical research is part of five focus areas of the Challenges in IBD research document, which also includes preclinical human IBD mechanisms, environmental triggers, novel technologies, and precision medicine. The Challenges in IBD research document provides a comprehensive overview of current gaps in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) research and delivers actionable approaches to address them. It is the result of multidisciplinary input from scientists, clinicians, patients, and funders, and represents a valuable resource for patient centric research prioritization. In particular, the pragmatic clinical research section is focused on highlighting gaps that need to be addressed in order to optimize and standardize IBD care. Identified gaps include: 1) understanding the incidence and prevalence of IBD; 2) evaluating medication positioning to increase therapeutic effectiveness; 3) understanding the utility of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM); 4) studying pain management; and 5) understanding healthcare economics and resources utilization. To address these gaps, there is a need to emphasize the use of emerging data sources and real-world evidence to better understand epidemiologic and therapeutic trends in IBD, expanding on existing data to better understand how and where we should improve care. Proposed approaches include epidemiological studies in ethnically and geographically diverse cohorts to estimate incidence and prevalence of IBD and impact of diversity on treatment patterns and outcomes. The implementation of new clinical trial design and methodologies will be essential to evaluate optimal medication positioning, appropriate use of TDM in adults and children, and multidisciplinary approaches to IBD pain management and its impact on healthcare resources.
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Time trends, disease patterns and gender imbalance in the top 100 most cited articles in ophthalmology.
Heng Wong, MY, Tan, NYQ, Sabanayagam, C
The British journal of ophthalmology. 2019;(1):18-25
Abstract
We analysed the 100 top cited articles in ophthalmology to identify and characterise the most influential articles of the past four decades. Two independent investigators searched the Scopus database to determine the 100 most frequently cited articles in ophthalmology (T100-Eye) and general non-ophthalmology journals (T100-Gen) published from 1975 to December 2017. The T100-Eye list consisted of 83 original articles and 17 reviews, and the number of citations ranged from 582 to 2833. Seventy-eight of these articles were published in three journals alone (impact factor (IF): 5.05-8.2), led by the Archives of Ophthalmology The T100-Gen list consisted of 84 original articles and 16 reviews and the number of citations ranged from 358 to 3272. Forty-five of these articles were published in four journals alone (IF: 9.66-72.41). In both lists, majority of the first authors were from the USA (T100-Eye, n=80; T100-Gen, n=66), and were men (n=76 in T100-Eye; n=72 in T100-Gen). With regard to the article type, in the T100-Eye, among the 83 original research articles, most were randomised controlled trials (n=26) or clinical observational studies related to description of a new condition or new management (n=26). In the T100-Gen, of the 84 original research articles, many were clinical observational studies (n=27) or basic science research (n=26). In both lists, the most frequently examined diseases were age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Our analysis reveals landmark articles, trends and medical advancements in ophthalmology over the past four decades. It also highlights gender disparity and influence of the USA in seminal ophthalmic research.
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Microfluidic devices with gold thin film channels for chemical and biomedical applications: a review.
Toudeshkchoui, MG, Rabiee, N, Rabiee, M, Bagherzadeh, M, Tahriri, M, Tayebi, L, Hamblin, MR
Biomedical microdevices. 2019;(4):93
Abstract
Microfluidic systems (MFS) provide a range of advantages in biomedical applications, including improved controllability of material characteristics and lower consumption of reagents, energy, time and money. Fabrication of MFS employs various materials, such as glass, silicon, ceramics, paper, and metals such as gold, copper, aluminum, chromium and titanium. In this review, gold thin film microfluidic channels (GTFMFC) are discussed with reference to fabrication methods and their diverse use in chemical and biomedical applications. The advantages of gold thin films (GTF) include flexibility, ease of manufacture, adhesion to polymer surfaces, chemical stability, good electrical conductivity, surface plasmon resonance effects, ability to be chemically functionalized, etc. Various electroactuators and electroanalytical devices can incorporate GTF. GTF-based MFS have been used in environmental monitoring, assays of biomarkers, immunoassays, cell culture studies and pathogen identification.
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Scientific Integrity Principles and Best Practices: Recommendations from a Scientific Integrity Consortium.
Kretser, A, Murphy, D, Bertuzzi, S, Abraham, T, Allison, DB, Boor, KJ, Dwyer, J, Grantham, A, Harris, LJ, Hollander, R, et al
Science and engineering ethics. 2019;(2):327-355
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Abstract
A Scientific Integrity Consortium developed a set of recommended principles and best practices that can be used broadly across scientific disciplines as a mechanism for consensus on scientific integrity standards and to better equip scientists to operate in a rapidly changing research environment. The two principles that represent the umbrella under which scientific processes should operate are as follows: (1) Foster a culture of integrity in the scientific process. (2) Evidence-based policy interests may have legitimate roles to play in influencing aspects of the research process, but those roles should not interfere with scientific integrity. The nine best practices for instilling scientific integrity in the implementation of these two overarching principles are (1) Require universal training in robust scientific methods, in the use of appropriate experimental design and statistics, and in responsible research practices for scientists at all levels, with the training content regularly updated and presented by qualified scientists. (2) Strengthen scientific integrity oversight and processes throughout the research continuum with a focus on training in ethics and conduct. (3) Encourage reproducibility of research through transparency. (4) Strive to establish open science as the standard operating procedure throughout the scientific enterprise. (5) Develop and implement educational tools to teach communication skills that uphold scientific integrity. (6) Strive to identify ways to further strengthen the peer review process. (7) Encourage scientific journals to publish unanticipated findings that meet standards of quality and scientific integrity. (8) Seek harmonization and implementation among journals of rapid, consistent, and transparent processes for correction and/or retraction of published papers. (9) Design rigorous and comprehensive evaluation criteria that recognize and reward the highest standards of integrity in scientific research.