NIHR Innovation Observatory’s Post

LET'S EAT GRANDMA ‘A proper editor would be horrified’: Why did a pediatric journal publish articles on the elderly? In June, a scientist researching sarcopenia came across a relevant paper about treatment for elderly patients with complications from the disease as well as type 2 diabetes. The paper was “very bad. It looked like someone just copied two or three times the same text.” The scientist, who asked to remain anonymous, became even more concerned when he realized the paper, which had the word “elderly” in its title, had been published in a pediatric journal. “I started reading other issues of the same journal and noticed that this is a widespread problem: Chinese papers about older adults being published in pediatric journals!” he said. The volume of the journal with the sarcopenia paper, Minerva Pediatrics, included 29 articles, of which at least eight letters to the editor described experiments and clinical trials with adult participants. Three other journals from the publisher, Minerva Medica, were denied impact factors by Clarivate this year due to suspicion of citation manipulation. #article #journal #author #manipulation #MinervaPediatrics #Clarivate #texhnologycenter #технологічнийцентр #recommendation #science #scopus #article #research #video #interesting #authors #grants #publisher #impactfactor #sciencenews #publication #openaccess #journal #archive #CiteScore #ukraine #submit #quality #university #learning #universities #students #education #help #ClubScience #ScientificRouteOÜ #ClubScienceComfort #ClubScienceYourAgent https://lnkd.in/dqipNYmw

The Statement of the Problem: That One Part That Nearly Ended My Research Career Let me take you back to 2019, the year I wrote my first research paper on: GC-MS Analysis of Leaf Extract of Newboulia leavis. I was excited, nervous, and—if I’m being honest—a complete research novice. Everything started smoothly. I breezed through the introduction and background of the study. I was feeling like a genius until I got to the dreaded Statement of the Problem. What is this part even about? I had no clue. But I told myself, "How hard can it be? Just state the problem, right?" Spoiler alert: It was not that simple. I read articles, journals, even Googled “How to write a statement of the problem.” And yet, nothing clicked. It felt like trying to find my way out of a maze blindfolded. But I wasn’t giving up. So, I did what any confused researcher would do—I wrote something. I submitted it, confident my brilliance would shine through. And then my supervisor sent it back with this one-line feedback: "This is not a statement of the problem; it’s justification. Start over." I stared at the email like it had personally insulted me. What was I supposed to do now? I felt like throwing my laptop out the window, but I took a deep breath and got to work. My supervisor highlighted areas to fix and gave me pointers. After what felt like a hundred rewrites (and a thousand cups of coffee), I finally got it right. Looking back, it wasn’t just about writing; it was about learning to think critically and clearly articulate the issue at hand. Now, after several papers, I can confidently write a Statement of the Problem. Here’s my simple guide: 1️⃣ Define the problem clearly: What’s the issue you’re solving? 2️⃣ Provide context: Why does it matter, and who’s affected? 3️⃣ Identify the gap: What’s missing in the current knowledge or solution? 4️⃣ Highlight the significance: What’s at stake if this problem isn’t addressed? For example, in a study on medication use in pregnancy: "Despite advancements in maternal care, there’s limited data on the safety profiles of certain medications, leaving pregnant women and their physicians with inadequate guidance. This study aims to bridge that gap and improve decision-making." To all the researchers out there: if you’ve ever struggled with this part, know you’re not alone. Even the best writers start somewhere. Just keep writing, learning, and rewriting—it gets better! Now it’s your turn. What’s been your biggest challenge with the Statement of the Problem? Let’s share and laugh through the struggles in the comments!

As parents, we know our kids are always watching us. My children are scarily proficient at tasks I never explicitly taught them, and they spontaneously mirror my everyday habits and speech. While we all hope our kids absorb only our best behaviors, a new study in JAMA Pediatrics shines a light on where we may be setting a poor example. The study found that only 15% of 3- and 4-year-olds meet the current WHO guidelines for physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration. These findings held regardless of family income, with North and South America having the lowest proportion of children meeting guidelines. This is hugely concerning! We are responsible for setting our kids up for health and happiness by role-modeling healthy habits. We don't need to be perfect – we’re human, after all. But we do need to show our children how to move more, eat better, sleep and take care of their mental health. At Vitality Group Inc. we’ve studied the science of habit formation to help our members form healthier habits. We’ve learned it only takes most people around 10 weeks to form a strong habit. And it’s easy to start – with gradual increments being most effective. What will your increment be this week?!

💉 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 🌍 Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is a widespread genetic disorder affecting nearly 30,000 children globally every year. This paper sheds light on the challenges these young individuals face and the profound effect the sickle cell crisis has on their daily lives. Understanding their journey is key to improving their care and overall well-being. 🌟 Read more in the full paper! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. https://lnkd.in/dkzKN5TJ #SickleCellAwareness #qualityoflife #GeneticDisorders #medicalresearch #PediatricCare #sicklecellanemia #ukstudents #thesiswriting #assignmenthelp #studentlife #Dissertation #education #Motivation #colleges #university #learning #highereducation #studentsuccess #onlinelearning #collegelife #students #viralpost #studentsupport

#PediatricNeuropsychology - Did you know the NIH Toolbox® was carefully developed by a team of early childhood assessment experts to ensure all tests would be developmentally appropriate for ages 4-6? Learn more by downloading our V3 brochure! https://ow.ly/KYxZ50Qi4jt

#PediatricNeuropsychology - Did you know the NIH Toolbox® was carefully developed by a team of early childhood assessment experts to ensure all tests would be developmentally appropriate for ages 4-6? Learn more by downloading our V3 brochure! https://ow.ly/KYxZ50Qi4jt

This #InternationalWomensDay, we are celebrating the achievement of Dr. Paula Littlejohn for being one of 20 scientists recently accepted into the Falling Walls 2024 Female Science Talents Intensive Track. This program offers year-long support for twenty exceptionally talented women across all scientific disciplines, with the aim of guiding them toward achieving significant career breakthroughs. Dr. Paula Littlejohn is a postdoctoral research fellow co-supervised by Dr. Michael Kobor and Dr. Bruce Vallance at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR). Her research focuses on unravelling the intricate interplay between micronutrient deficiencies and pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with a particular emphasis on exploring epigenetic factors. As a researcher, Dr. Littlejohn is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with IBD by exploring innovative ways to develop personalized, safe, and effective therapies. "I want to create personalized nutrition therapy for children and understand their disease on a molecular level. I want to do this because IBD is a devastating and complex disease with no known cure, causing children to suffer for a long time throughout their lives. I can do this work because I have the experience, training, and access to the advanced tools needed to make a difference in IBD for children," says Dr. Littlejohn. Learn more: https://bcchr.info/48PdepE BC Children's Hospital Foundation BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia Falling Walls Foundation #InternationalWomensDay #congratulations #award #research #health #healthresearch #pediatric #ibd #womeninscience #stem

Thromboprophylaxis during pregnancy and the puerperium: a systematic review and economic evaluation to estimate the value of future research https://lnkd.in/ePgdv58Z

📊New scientific work released: Outcomes of antenatal depression in women and the new-born: a retrospective cohort study Some insights of our work: 1. #mentalhealth during #pregnancy impacts on #newbornweight 2. Antenatal depression was diagnosed in 2.54% pregnant women from a total sample of 17 177 #women 3. Novel #healthpolicies on #pregnancy would help a better approach on #transgenerationalhealth Find more info👇 https://lnkd.in/dfM9T4x2 Oxford University Press #GlobalHealth #pregnancy Blanquerna - Universitat Ramon Llull

Over the next few months, we will spotlight some of Behrend's student researchers. We will feature their current research topics, and you will learn something fun about them. Our next spotlight is Abigayle Lipscomb. What is your major, and when will you graduate? I am a senior biology health professions student and will complete my Bachelor of Science in May of 2025. What is your research area? As most know, iron is a vital nutrient for the human body as it is responsible for a lot of physiological processes. During pregnancy, it is necessary for the expecting mother to consume enough iron not only for her to function but also for fetal development. It is also advised during pregnancy to avoid any additional stress, as it could have negative effects on the fetus. In our study, we aim to observe the effects that elevated cortisol levels, such as those seen in women with PTSD, impact the functions of iron transport proteins transferrin receptor 1 and ferroportin in placental cells as well as determine the role that extracellular vesicles play in the maternal-fetal transport of iron. When you were eight years old, what did you want to be when you grew up, and why? When I was 8 years old, I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps and become a principal. Both of my parents are educators, and growing up, I got to observe and learn about the positive influence my parents had during interactions with many alumni and faculty. This made me want to strive to have a similar impact on those around me in an effort to build up my community. While my aspirations have since shifted to me wanting to become an optometrist, I still hope to have a similar impact on my future patients. #behrend #UGresearch